😥Caregiver burden

Strain or load borne by a person who cares for a chronically ill, disabled, or elderly family member.

From caring for an aging spouse to caring for a relative with a chronic illness, stepping into the role of caregiver for a family member or friend is not uncommon—especially in long-term care situations. While caregiving is an essential task, it can cause strain on the caregiver over time and caregivers may experience caregiver burden.1 Caregiver burden refers to the strain a caregiver experiences as a result of caring for a family member or loved one who is chronically ill, disabled, or elderly.

The consequences of caregiver burden include negative consequences; decreased care provision, decrease in quality of life, and physical and psychological health deterioration. The consequences of caregiver burden include consequences related to the caregiver and care recipient.

Caregiver Stress Signs and Symptoms

While the exact definition of caregiver burden is understood differently by different researchers, the term is frequently used interchangeably with the term “caregiver stress,” the signs and symptoms of which are generally recognized and agreed upon. The signs of caregiver stress—which may be similar to the signs of caregiver burden—are as follows:

• Feeling overwhelmed

• Feeling sad

• Frequently feeling tired

• Weight fluctuation

• Feeling isolated, lonely, or deserted

• Feeling constantly worried

• Getting angry and irritated easily

• Sleeping too much or not enough

• Lack of interest in activities that used to provide enjoyment

• Headaches, body pain, and other physical ailments

• Using alcohol or drugs, such as prescription medication or tobacco

Decreased care provision

One of the consequences of caregiver burden is a reduction in care provision. Caregivers experiencing caregiver burden without adequate support or resources leads to a reduction in the quality of care provided.

Decrease in quality of life

Caregivers spend long periods caring for patients every day, their daily activities are limited, and they have limited time to attend to their own needs.

Physical and psychological health deterioration

Caregivers devote a large amount of time and energy to caring for their loved ones while seldom caring about themselves. Because of the lack of rest time, caregivers often neglect to take care of themselves, even when sick, and rarely seek medical help.

The tools used to measure caregiver burden

The Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview (ZBI) was developed by Zarit, Reever, and Bach-Peterson. ZBI originated as a 29-item questionnaire, and later a revised version consisting of 22 items was created.

The Caregiver Strain Index is a screening instrument that identifies the level of strain a carer is experiencing. This can be used for a family caregiver or professional caregiver at any age. It is made up of 13 questions that are answerable with a “Yes” or “No”. Questions revolve around each of the following areas: physical, financial, psychological, and personal.

The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) is another psychological assessment that measures occupational burnout. It is a widely used caregiver burnout assessment that is easily available for anyone who needs it. The questionnaire assesses three dimensions of burnout; emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment.