The willingness to continue caring in family supporters of older people

Research has revealed the importance of characteristics of the supporter, t he care-recipient, and circumstances of caregiving in the success or failur e of community-based care of older people. The Dundee Study of Carers and D ementia examined factors associated with the maintenance and care of older people in the community, and with the impact of dementia on family supporte rs. Two hundred and twenty-eight family supporters of community-resident ol der people (greater than or equal to 65) (50% with dementia, 50% without, m atched for age and sex) were interviewed. Supporters' responses to their re lative's condition and circumstances, their ways of coping with stressful c aregiving problems, and their willingness to continue their caregiving role , were assessed. Findings indicated that willingness to care and stress wer e associated in different ways with the supporter's response to his/her rel ative. Coping was found to be significantly associated with stress, respons e to relative, and willingness to care in only three out of a total of 45 t ests. Willingness to care was positively associated with the coping behavio ur internalization. The findings are discussed in the context of developing interventions for improving the well-being of supporters of an older relat ive in the community.