Caregiver Support Program May Decrease Work-Family Conflict: An Intervention Study

Editor’s note: This article was authored by the Rosalynn Carter Institute, now the Rosalynn Carter Mental Health and Caregiver Program.

Abstract

The employed family caregivers juggle caregiving and work responsibilities constantly, highlighting a growing concern for their financial and professional well-being. Compared to the rich studies on the caregiving impact on the mental and physical health of caregivers, the intricacies of the work-family relationship have been limited, particularly concerning the dementia caregivers. This study investigates the effects of caregiver intervention on various quality-of-life measures using a first-hand dementia dataset, collected through a 6-month, evidence-based, multicomponent intervention, and targeting the well-being of family caregivers who care for loved ones with dementia. The intervention demonstrated a statistically significant positive impact, as evidenced by decreased distress, depressive symptoms, subjective burden and, notably, decreased family-to-work conflict, and financial stress. Additionally, caregiver self-efficacy scores exhibited a significant increase. This study suggests that the caregiver intervention improves the quality-of-life measures and reduces caregiver stress. Addressing the well-being of caregivers is essential for enhancing overall societal health and productivity.