The role of caregiver gender and caregiver burden in nursing home placements for elderly Taiwanese survivors of stroke

The role of caregiver gender in caregiver burden and the association between the level of caregiver burden and institutionalization of elderly stroke survivors in Taiwan were explored using a correlational, descriptive design. The convenience sample was composed of 78 male and 69 female primary caregivers of stroke survivors. Simple multiple regression and t tests were used to test the research questions. Women perceived caregiving as more burdensome than men did. Caregiver burden was most strongly associated with the characteristics of the care recipients and with institutionalization. The proposed model explained 45% and 28% of the variance in caregiver burden for male and female caregivers, respectively. It is recommended that the professional nursing role in Taiwan be expanded to include postdischarge care, respite, and home-care services to allow families to keep their elderly at home as long as possible and to provide culturally sensitive care to families that might be traumatized by having to violate ethnic Chinese cultural norms by institutionalizing family members.