FACTORS INVOLVED IN FATIGUE OF ELDERILY CAREGIVERS AT HOME AND ITS QUANTIFICATION MODEL

• Published in: Journal of The Showa Medical Association Vol. 54; no. 1; pp. 33 - 42
• Main Authors: KAWAGUCHI, Takeshi, ANZAI, Masaya, SAKAMOTO, Masaaki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: The Showa University Society 28.02.1994; 昭和大学学士会
• Subjects: elderly caregivers; Hayashi's quantification method I; home care; impaired elderly; subjective symptons of fatigue; 在宅ケア; 数量化I類; 疲労; 自覚症状しらべ; 高齢介護者
• ISSN: 0037-4342; 2185-0976
• DOI: 10.14930/jsma1939.54.33

With a major goal of elucidating factors involved in fatigue of elderly caregivers, the impact degrees of the factors were quantified. Among 72 elderly couples, either of whom was impaired and aged over 65 years, 21 items such as the sex and age of a caregiver, environmental conditions and caregiving tasks. Subjective symptoms of fatigue were also surveyed. The impact magnitude of each item was then examined by Hayashi's quantification method I . 1) There were more subjects who complained of fatigue before bedtime than at rising, although the difference was not significant. 2) The elderly caregivers were found to suffer from chronic cumulative fatigue, showing higher degrees of fatigue than non-caregiving housewives. 3) Primary factors increasing fatigue consisted of employment (the employed), continuation of caregiving (limit), caregiving duration (3 to 7 years), age group (70 to SO years), roll over (dependent), sit up (dependent), caregiving time (occasion), etc. The results revealed and defined the needs of support for elderly caregivers at home, thereby potentially opening the way for countermeasures.