Gains and losses of caring for an older relative and the indication for geropsychological intervention

Caring for a close person involves and impacts several aspects and domains of personal life. A scenario that is often sketched here indicates that caring is physically exhausting, demanding time, leaving no time for leisure, and excluding the carer from further social activities. In this view, caring is strain as it is clearly described by the concept of caregiver burden, and a risk for the psychological and/or physical health of family carers. But caring may also have another side of positive gratification and of fulfilment. To care for another person may represent a meaningful work for both the cared for and the caring person that may also go along with recognition and positive feedback from others. This is the starting point of the present study that addressed a sample of 151 informal carers (n = 111 female) with a mean age of 58 years (SD=14 years) with self-report questionnaire. The measure offered in a first part positive (n=35) and negative aspects (n=23) of caring for a close person and subjects had to rate how much they agree that these aspects are present in their own care giving relationship. Moreover, life satisfaction as well as positive and negative affect were assessed in a second part. Multivariate analyses by factor as well as cluster analyses showed different profiles of gains and losses that were systematically linked to indicators of subjective well-being. Findings will be discussed with respect to their implications for psychosocial intervention in the field of informal care.