| Description |
A large, cross-sectional survey of caregivers to dementia patients provided the data base to study the effects of caregivers' age on the dependent variables of caregiver income, marital and employment statuses, their depression level, perceptions of burden, life satisfaction, number of persons in the support system, and the functional level of the dementia patient. The sample consisted of 180 female caregivers between 35 and 64 years of age who were identified from support groups located in the Western half of the United States. Using the Pearson r correlation coefficient as a statistical measure of the variables under study, an inverse relationship was demonstrated between caregiver age, income, and employment. No significant correlations existed between caregiver age and the other variables under study. After dividing the sample into their age cohorts (35-44, 45-54, and 55-64 years of age), further data analyses using ANOVA failed to reveal significant age-related group differences based on the major dependent variables under study. With the small number of dependent variables used to study age, the results of this study are inconclusive. |
