The impact of caring on caregivers' mental health: a review of the literature

Abstract

This paper provides a brief overview of the literature on the impact of caring on the mental health of informalcaregivers in the areas of aged care, disability and mental health. Factors discussed that may impact on caregivers'mental health include the relationship between the caregiver and care recipient, the nature of the care recipient'sdisability and the stage of the caregiving process. Several moderators of the impact of caring on mental health aredescribed, including socio-economic factors, social support and coping strategies. This information provides a contextwithin which to examine the type of interventions appropriate to assist caregivers in various situations.