Question

A social worker is developing a support group for adults who provide caregiving to their aging parents. The social worker wants to focus on coping skills to manage the stressors that accompany caregiving. In designing the group, the social worker should consider that caregiver stress is PRIMARILY linked with:

A. The duration of complicated hospitalizations.
B. Whether or not the caregiver has a family of his/her own.
C. The duration of the illness.
D. The parent's age at onset of the illness.

Answer 1

Caregiver stress is primarily linked to the chronic nature of the caregiving situation, specifically the duration of the illness, with factors such as social and psychosocial support also contributing significantly to the stress experienced by caregivers.

Step-by-step explanation:

When it comes to caregiver stress, research suggests that it is not solely linked to specific moments such as the duration of hospitalizations, whether or not the caregiver has a family of their own, or the onset of the parent's illness. Instead, caregiver stress is primarily linked to the duration of the illness and the chronic nature of the caregiving situation, as this can persist over an extended period, producing ongoing stress rather than episodic stress from acute events. Other contributing factors to caregiver stress, beyond the duration of the illness, include a lack of social support, financial strains, pre-existing health issues including mental health, the level of physical and cognitive impairment of the person being cared for, and a lack of psychosocial support for the caregivers themselves.