FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH BURDEN IN CAREGIVERS OF THE ELDERLY: AN INTEGRATIVE LITERATURE REVIEW
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56238/rcsv16n5-006Keywords:
Caregiver Burden, Elderly Caregivers, Aging HealthAbstract
Introduction: Population aging has significantly increased the demand for care, especially among elderly people who have multiple chronic diseases and functional decline. In this context, caregivers assume a central role in the care of the elderly, being exposed to physical, emotional, social, and financial overload. Objective: To analyze the factors associated with overload in caregivers of the elderly. Methodology: This is an integrative review, aiming to synthesize the scientific production and answer the following research question: What is the scientific knowledge produced about the factors associated with overload in caregivers of the elderly? Articles were selected using the following descriptors in Portuguese and English: caregiver burden, caregivers, aged, and that met the following inclusion criteria: published in full, available electronically, in Portuguese, English and/or Spanish, published between January 2021 and January 2026, in the databases of the Latin American and Caribbean Scientific and Technical Literature (LILACS), Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) and PubMed, and that allow answering the pre-defined guiding question. Results: The results showed that caregiver burden is multifactorial, being associated with depressive symptoms, less social support, family dysfunction, functional dependence, cognitive impairment and greater clinical complexity of the elderly. On the other hand, preparation for caregiving, social support and more positive family relationships were related to less burden, indicating that this experience involves not only caregiving demands, but also emotional, psychosocial and family dimensions. Conclusion: It is concluded that caregiver burden results from an interaction between individual vulnerabilities, care demands, and available resources. In this context, strengthening social support, preparing for caregiving, and early identification of psychological distress become priorities. The findings reinforce that health services need to incorporate caregivers into their care actions, ensuring support, guidance, and resources compatible with the complexity of the demands they experience.
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