Predictors of Use of Services Among Dementia Caregivers

Caregivers of persons with dementia do not use community resources until late in the disease process, despite the fact that judicious use of community resources can delay nursing home admission. Data from the National Caregiver Training Project, based on Hall and Buckwalter's (1987) progressively lowered stress threshold (PLST) model, were used to examine variables related to use of community resources. Spouse and adult child caregivers were divided into two groups based on amount of community resources used per week. Within this geographically diverse sample of caregivers, 64% did not use professional services, 79% did not use respite services, and 65% did not use other services. Being a spouse decreased the odds that the caregiver would use community resources. Resource use was also related to the care recipient's problems with activities of daily living and the increase in frequency of memory and behavioral problems.