Predictors of caregiver burden and quality of life in elderly caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) are being studied in the Honolulu Asian Aging Study of the Honolulu Heart Program. The caregivers are elderly spouses or siblings of elderly Japanese American men who reside in Hawaii. In a longitudinal study, 200 caregivers of persons with AD and 200 spouses of a control group are participating in both face to face and telephone interviews every three months for two years. Information collected about the caregiver includes demographic information, acculturation, perceived control, social networks, social support, health status, health service use, burden, coping strategies, depression, functional status, life satisfaction, and social well-being. Information collected about the demented person includes driving behaviors, self-care behaviors, health status, health service use, and progression of dementia behaviors. Data collection has been underway since March 31, 1992 and will continue until December 1994. The significance of this study lies in the identification of variables that are predictive of caregiver burden and quality of life for elderly women. Interventions can then be developed to decrease burden and enhance the quality of life of elderly women who care for a demented spouse.
