Abstract:

In the study, it was aimed to determine the care burden of family members (informal caregivers) who care for the elderly living in Eldivan district. Caregiving participants were reached with the support of the neighborhood headmen and the interviews were held face to face. The care burden of the participants was determined using the Zarit Care Burden Scale (ZCBS). Sociodemographic, health and social data of the elderly and their caregivers were reached with questions designed by the researchers. The addiction levels of the elderly were determined with the Katz Daily Living Activities Scale. The mean ZCBS score of the caregivers was found to be 31.05 ± 15.81. Care burden was found to be high in caregivers who are aged adult, have low education level, have chronic diseases, have the high number of drugs used, have sleep problems and are not working, and to be low in caregivers who go out from home often, walks regularly, spend time with their family and use computers. Care burden was found to be high in the caregivers who care for the bedridden, disabled, and incontinent elderly. It was determined that as the dependence of the elderly increased, the burden of the caregiver also increased.

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