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Caregiving burden and out-of-home mobility of cognitively impaired care-recipients based on GPS tracking

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 July 2012

Shirli Werner ,
Gail K. Auslander ,
Noam Shoval ,
Tamar Gitlitz ,
Ruth Landau  and
Jeremia Heinik
Shirli Werner*
Affiliation:
Paul Baerwald School of Social Work and Social Welfare, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, Israel
Gail K. Auslander
Affiliation:
Paul Baerwald School of Social Work and Social Welfare, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, Israel
Noam Shoval
Affiliation:
Department of Geography, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, Israel
Tamar Gitlitz
Affiliation:
Paul Baerwald School of Social Work and Social Welfare, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, Israel Mishan Quality Senior Living, Histadrut General Federation of Labor in Israel, Tel Aviv, Israel
Ruth Landau
Affiliation:
Paul Baerwald School of Social Work and Social Welfare, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, Israel
Jeremia Heinik
Affiliation:
Margoletz Psychogeriatric Center, Ichilov Hospital, Tel-Aviv, Israel Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Dr. Shirli Werner, Paul Baerwald School of Social Work and Social Welfare, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem 91905, Israel. Phone: +972-2-5881377; Fax: +972-2-5883927. Email: [email protected].
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Abstract

Background: Out-of-home mobility refers to the realization of trips outside the home, by foot or by other means of transportation. Although out-of-home mobility is important for the well-being of older people with cognitive impairment, its importance for their caregivers is not clear. This study aims to clarify the relationship between caregiving burden and out-of-home mobility of care-recipients using Global Positioning Systems (GPS) technology.

Methods: Seventy-six dyads (care-recipients and caregivers) were recruited from a psychogeriatric center, where they underwent cognitive assessment, followed by psychosocial interviews at home. Care-recipients received GPS tracking kits to carry for a period of four weeks, whenever they left home. Mobility data and diagnostic and psychosocial data were examined in relation to caregiver burden.

Results: The strongest predictors of burden were care-recipients’ lower cognitive status and more time spent walking out-of-home. An interaction was found between cognitive status and time spent walking in relation to caregiver burden. The relationship between walking and burden was stronger among caregivers of care-recipients with dementia than caregivers of care-recipients with no cognitive impairment or mild cognitive impairment. Care-recipients’ behavioral and emotional states were also positively related to caregiver burden.

Conclusions: The findings stress the importance of maintaining older persons’ out-of-home mobility during cognitive decline.

Keywords

dementiacognitive impairmentglobal positioning systemstracking technologies
Type
Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 24 , Issue 11 , November 2012 , pp. 1836 - 1845
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2012

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