Predictors of Deterioration in Mental Well-Being and Quality of Life among Family Caregivers and Older People with Long-Term Care Needs during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, reduced access to care services and fear of infection prompted families to increase home care for their older relatives with long-term care needs. This had negative effects on both members of the caring dyad, impacting their quality of life (QoL) and mental...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Healthcare |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/12/3/383 |
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| author | Paolo Fabbietti Sara Santini Flavia Piccinini Cinzia Giammarchi Giovanni Lamura |
| author_facet | Paolo Fabbietti Sara Santini Flavia Piccinini Cinzia Giammarchi Giovanni Lamura |
| author_sort | Paolo Fabbietti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, reduced access to care services and fear of infection prompted families to increase home care for their older relatives with long-term care needs. This had negative effects on both members of the caring dyad, impacting their quality of life (QoL) and mental well-being. This study investigated the factors that influenced the mental well-being and QoL of 239 dyads, before and after the first pandemic wave in Italy. Methods: Data were collected through a survey on the use of health and social care services and interventions by older care recipients living in the community and their family caregivers. Factors associated with deterioration of mental well-being and QoL in older care recipients (mean age 86.1 years old) and their family caregivers after the pandemic were studied. Results: The importance attached by family caregivers to the skills and training of healthcare professionals was a protective factor against the deterioration in the well-being of older care recipients. Similarly, the importance associated by family caregivers to the help received from healthcare professionals was a protective factor for QoL. Financial hardship of older care recipients was a risk factor for deterioration in caregivers’ mental well-being, while support from other family members was a protective factor for QoL. Conclusions: The presence of attentive healthcare professionals, a supportive family environment, and economic support can reduce the burden on both the caregiver and the older care recipient. These aspects need to be considered in any future emergency situation and when planning care services for community-dwelling older people. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T03:56:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-03b0ebb360aa4c7aac428da85f96249b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9032 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T03:56:12Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Healthcare |
| spelling | doaj.art-03b0ebb360aa4c7aac428da85f96249b2024-02-09T15:12:50ZengMDPI AGHealthcare2227-90322024-02-0112338310.3390/healthcare12030383Predictors of Deterioration in Mental Well-Being and Quality of Life among Family Caregivers and Older People with Long-Term Care Needs during the COVID-19 PandemicPaolo Fabbietti0Sara Santini1Flavia Piccinini2Cinzia Giammarchi3Giovanni Lamura4Center for Biostatistic and Applied Geriatric Clinical Epidemiology, IRCCS INRCA-National Institute of Health and Science on Aging, 60124 Ancona, ItalyCentre for Socio-Economic Research on Aging, IRCCS INRCA-National Institute of Health and Science on Aging, 60124 Ancona, ItalyCentre for Socio-Economic Research on Aging, IRCCS INRCA-National Institute of Health and Science on Aging, 60124 Ancona, ItalyScientific Direction, IRCCS INRCA-National Institute of Health and Science on Aging, 60124 Ancona, ItalyCentre for Socio-Economic Research on Aging, IRCCS INRCA-National Institute of Health and Science on Aging, 60124 Ancona, ItalyBackground: During the COVID-19 pandemic, reduced access to care services and fear of infection prompted families to increase home care for their older relatives with long-term care needs. This had negative effects on both members of the caring dyad, impacting their quality of life (QoL) and mental well-being. This study investigated the factors that influenced the mental well-being and QoL of 239 dyads, before and after the first pandemic wave in Italy. Methods: Data were collected through a survey on the use of health and social care services and interventions by older care recipients living in the community and their family caregivers. Factors associated with deterioration of mental well-being and QoL in older care recipients (mean age 86.1 years old) and their family caregivers after the pandemic were studied. Results: The importance attached by family caregivers to the skills and training of healthcare professionals was a protective factor against the deterioration in the well-being of older care recipients. Similarly, the importance associated by family caregivers to the help received from healthcare professionals was a protective factor for QoL. Financial hardship of older care recipients was a risk factor for deterioration in caregivers’ mental well-being, while support from other family members was a protective factor for QoL. Conclusions: The presence of attentive healthcare professionals, a supportive family environment, and economic support can reduce the burden on both the caregiver and the older care recipient. These aspects need to be considered in any future emergency situation and when planning care services for community-dwelling older people.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/12/3/383COVID-19 pandemicinformal caregiversmental well-beingolder peoplequality of lifelong-term care |
| spellingShingle | Paolo Fabbietti Sara Santini Flavia Piccinini Cinzia Giammarchi Giovanni Lamura Predictors of Deterioration in Mental Well-Being and Quality of Life among Family Caregivers and Older People with Long-Term Care Needs during the COVID-19 Pandemic Healthcare COVID-19 pandemic informal caregivers mental well-being older people quality of life long-term care |
| title | Predictors of Deterioration in Mental Well-Being and Quality of Life among Family Caregivers and Older People with Long-Term Care Needs during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_full | Predictors of Deterioration in Mental Well-Being and Quality of Life among Family Caregivers and Older People with Long-Term Care Needs during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Predictors of Deterioration in Mental Well-Being and Quality of Life among Family Caregivers and Older People with Long-Term Care Needs during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Predictors of Deterioration in Mental Well-Being and Quality of Life among Family Caregivers and Older People with Long-Term Care Needs during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_short | Predictors of Deterioration in Mental Well-Being and Quality of Life among Family Caregivers and Older People with Long-Term Care Needs during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_sort | predictors of deterioration in mental well being and quality of life among family caregivers and older people with long term care needs during the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | COVID-19 pandemic informal caregivers mental well-being older people quality of life long-term care |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/12/3/383 |
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