Effectiveness of a psychoeducational programme for informal caregivers of older adults

Abstract

Purpose of the study: This study explored the effectiveness of psychoeducational programme for informal caregivers called 'Caring at home'.

Design and methods: The sample included 60 informal caregivers of elderly people (≥60 years) living in the community. Socio-demographic information of informal caregivers and care receivers was collected with the COPE Index. The assessment protocol comprised four scales: 12-item Short-Form Health Survey, General Health Questionnaire-12, Positive Aspects of Caregiving and Caregiver Strain Index Modified. There were five assessment moments: a pretest, a post-test and three follow-ups.

Results: Informal caregivers had an average age of 52.08 years (SD = 9.11) and were mainly women (90.0%), married/partnered (75.0%) and children of the care recipients (61.7%). The median time spent in care was 12 hours/day (IQR = 18). Results showed a favourable evolution after the psychoeducational intervention, a significant improvement in caregivers' mental health (p = 0.03) from pretest to 1st follow-up (2/3 months after the psychoeducational intervention) and the maintenance of the other assessed dimensions of the caregivers' behaviour.

Implications: The psychoeducational intervention seems to promote improvements in mental health and the maintenance of other favourable conditions at baseline. These results may indicate that psychoeducational programme are beneficial to minimise or prevent adverse effects of caregiving.

Keywords: disabilities; informal caregiving; intervention; mental health; old people.