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What Support Do Caregivers of Elderly Want? Results from the Canadian Study of Health and Aging

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Abstract

The aim of this paper is to document interest in support strategies among caregivers of elderly persons. We used data from the Canadian Study of Health and Aging caregiver questionnaire which included 43 informal caregivers of elderly persons living with dementia and 145 informal caregivers of elderly persons not living with dementia. While the study assessed interest in attending support groups (10.4%), receiving telephone support from either a professional (44.9%) or a fellow caregiver (41.0%), receiving a newsletter (40.5%), receiving volunteer support (24.2%), and interest in support via computer (14.8%), there were no significant differences between the two groups with regard to interest in any of the support services. Implications for program delivery are discussed. Planners may want to consider adding telephone support and newsletters to other supports already available for care-givers.

Résumé

Afin de documenter l’intérêt des pourvoyeurs de soins aux personnes âgées à l’égard de diverses stratégies de soutien, nous avons utilisé les données du questionnaire aux soignants de l’Étude sur la santé et le vieillissement au Canada, administré notamment à 43 soignants informels de personnes âgées atteintes de démence et à 145 soignants informels de personnes âgées non atteintes de démence. Notre étude évaluait leur intérêt à participer à des groupes de soutien (10,4 %) ou à recevoir du soutien téléphonique d’un professionnel (44,9 %) ou d’un collègue (41,0 %), un bulletin d’information (40,5 %), du soutien bénévole (24,2 %) et du soutien par ordinateur (14,8 %). Nous n’avons toutefois constaté aucune différence significative entre les deux groupes. L’étude aborde aussi les incidences possibles sur l’exécution des programmes. Les planificateurs pourraient envisager l’ajout d’un soutien téléphonique et de bulletins d’information aux ressources déjà offertes aux soignants.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto, ON, Canada

    Angela Colantonio PhD (Associate Professor)

  2. Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Toronto, ON, Canada

    Angela Colantonio PhD (Associate Professor), Adam J. Kositsky BSc Hon & Lee Vernich MSc

  3. Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, ON, Canada

    Carole Cohen MD

Authors
  1. Angela Colantonio PhD
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  2. Adam J. Kositsky BSc Hon
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  3. Carole Cohen MD
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  4. Lee Vernich MSc
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Correspondence to Angela Colantonio PhD.

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Colantonio, A., Kositsky, A.J., Cohen, C. et al. What Support Do Caregivers of Elderly Want? Results from the Canadian Study of Health and Aging. Can J Public Health 92, 376–379 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03404984

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03404984

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