Geriatric Nursing Commons^™

Exploring The Effects Of Caring For Congestive Heart Failure Patients On Caregiver Well-Being: A Descriptive Study, Hanna S. Curtis

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: As the incidence of heart failure (HF) quickly becomes the leading cause of disability among older adults, the need for non-professional, in-home caregivers increases as well. Many caregivers are family members who receive no compensation for their efforts, but all are an invaluable tool in the fight against a debilitating disease. Patients with caregivers experience an improved quality of life and lower mortality rates than patients with little social support. The caregiver of a patient with HF may be responsible for everyday activities such as housekeeping and shopping, as well as more complex disease-related necessities as managing medication …