The moderating effect of care‐burden on formal caregiver's mental health during COVID‐19

BACKGROUND: Homecare organisations employ professionals (i.e. gerontologists, nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and social workers) to help their clients gain rights and supervise non‐professional formal caregivers. Formal caregivers, and especially those who work closely with impaired older people, are at greater risk of infecting or being infected by SARS‐Cov‐2 (COVID‐19). During the first waves of COVID‐19, older people were encouraged to stay home; and the care‐burden inflicted on their caregivers has increased. OBJECTIVES: This study examined formal caregiver's mental health during the COVID‐19 pandemic, that is, the association between anxiety and depression symptoms and how care‐burden moderated this association. METHODS: A cross‐sectional online survey conducted in the home care services sector throughout Israel. A sample of 400 formal caregivers of older people (M(age) = 47.7, SD = 13.8) completed a questionnaire regarding their levels of care‐burden, general anxiety symptoms, and depressive symptoms. RESULTS: A significant positive relationship was found between anxiety and depressive symptoms among formal caregivers. The level of care‐burden moderated this relationship, showing that caregivers with higher care‐burden demonstrated a stronger association between anxiety and depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Professionals may use ADL/IADL as a practical index to assess care‐burden and the risk of mistreatment. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Formal caregivers with higher care‐burden should get enhanced professional's support to reduce adverse mental health outcomes.