{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.02883460152182619, 'fraction_numerical': 0.010012014417300761, 'mean_word_length': 5.137592137592137, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Caregiver Quality of Life: How to Measure It and Why

Caregiving: A Common Life Experience The prevalence and complexity of caregiving (CG) is growing across the US. From 2015 to 2020, the estimated number of CGs grew from 10.2 million to 14.1 million, increasing alongside selfreported health complexity of care recipients (CR). Forty percent of the 53 million CGs in the US are in high-intensity care situations based on the number of care hours given and the number of activities of daily living for which they provide assistance. Those caring for a spouse or partner (59%) are more likely to report a high-intensity situation than those caring for a parent (35%) or other relative (44%). CGs with lower income and less than a college degree are more often in high-intensity situations. Caregiving can indeed be stressful with one survey study reporting 4 in 10 CGs experience depression, mood swings, and resentment as a result of their labors. Older adults may be more susceptible to CG strain, and increased risk of mortality, due to taxing physical demands, a weakened immune system, and greater likelihood for other chronic health conditions. Other contextual factors that may increase CG vulnerability include certain CR diagnoses (e.g. cognitive disorders, traumatic brain injury), specific CG demands (e.g., dementia or end-of-life caregiving), and lack of needed resources (e.g., social support, respite, community services). CGs who experience stress while caring for loved ones with complex health situations are at greater risk than other CGs for having their own medical problems. Some consequences of long-term caregiving, such as depression and loneliness, can persist even after the caregiving ends. Yet other studies report reduced mortality and extended longevity for CGs as a whole compared with controls. In fact, many CGs report positive benefits from caregiving, including satisfaction and personal growth. The mixed findings within the scientific literature suggest that caregiving confers advantages and disadvantages for CGs, underscoring the need for a balanced and updated perception of informal caregiving. Given the health risks associated with poorer CG quality of life, health promotion professionals and employers should consider implementing effective screening procedures for early detection and intervention. In this article, we will review the concept of caregiver quality of life and offer recommendations for choosing and implementing a screening workflow.