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Positive Aspects in Caregiving: An Overlooked Variable in Research*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

C. A. Cohen ,
D. Pushkar Gold ,
K. I. Shulman  and
C. A. Zucchero
C. A. Cohen
Affiliation:
Sunnybrook Health Science Centre
D. Pushkar Gold
Affiliation:
Concordia University
K. I. Shulman
Affiliation:
Sunnybrook Health Science Centre
C. A. Zucchero
Affiliation:
Sunnybrook Health Science Centre
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Abstract

This paper reviews the different concepts and measures of positive aspects of caregiving that have been used in previous studies. It describes the use of a simple measure of “enjoyable aspects of caregiving” used in a large longitudinal Canadian study of dementia care in the community. The measure attained significant test-retest reliability and significantly correlated with caregiver burden and health. It also predicted caregiver desire to institutionalize the care recipient at three different time periods but not actual institutionalization. The paper calls for greater use of measures related to positive aspects of caregiving and a better understanding of how these measures relate to one another and to outcomes.

Résumé

Cet article passe en revue les divers concepts et les diverses mesures reliées aux aspects positifs de la prise en charge qui ont fait l'objet d'études antérieures. Il décrit également une mesure simple des «aspects plaisants de la prise en charge» utilisée par un projet longitudinal canadien sur le soin accordé aux patients atteints de démence et résidant dans la communauté. Le taux de fidélité test-retest de cette mesure est significatif, ême que les corrélations avec le fardeau de la prise en charge et la santé du donneur de soins. Cette variable prédit également le désir d'institutionnaliser le bénéficiaire, et ce à trois étapes différentes de la prise en charge, mais ne prédit pas l'institutionnalisation comme telle. Cet article conclut qu'il devrait y avoir davantages de mesures reliées aux aspects positifs de la prise en charge et une meilleure compréhension des interactions entre ces variables et leurs répercussions sur les facteurs principaux liés au patient et au donneur de soins.

Keywords

CaregivingDementiaEnjoymentAidedémenceplaisir
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 13 , Issue 3 , Automne/Fall 1994 , pp. 378 - 391
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 1994

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