Don't Let Your Spouse Become Your Caregiver

 

When the spouse is not up to
the situation; © Picture Disk

The study, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, found that potentially harmful caregiver behaviour was more likely in spouse caregiving situations. Clinical depression was also seen as a factor.

"Depressed older spouses who occupy the caregiving role may be particularly appropriate targets for screening and intervention efforts," according to researchers. Caregiving itself has been associated with "compromised mental and physical health and increased risk for mortality." In these situations, both caregiver and recipients can be at risk for long-term negative outcomes.

The article states that potentially harmful caregiver behaviour can be an early warning sign of even greater elderly abuse or neglect. Surprisingly, previous research has shown that abusive caregivers are quite willing to admit to their behaviour in interviews.

- The study was published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

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