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Study looks at health
of caregivers following death of spouse
By
Andrew Buchanan Boston Globe, June 27, 2001 CHICAGO (AP) People who go
through the stress of taking care of an elderly, ill spouse are better
prepared to deal with their mate's death than those whose husbands or
wives die more suddenly, a study suggests. The caregivers took better care
of themselves after their spouses died and did not become more depressed
or experience significant weight loss, according to the study in
Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association. In contrast, those who did not
take care of their loved ones showed increased depression and weight loss.
''Overall, these data support
the hypothesis that the death of a spouse among strained caregivers
represents a significant reduction in burden and does not further tax
their ability to cope,'' wrote the researchers, who said their study is
the first to document this. The research was conducted
between 1993 and 1998 and looked at 129 people ages 66 to 96. The
participants were drawn from four sites: Hagerstown, Md.; Pittsburgh;
Winston-Salem, N.C.; and Sacramento, Calif. Caregivers fared better, the
researchers suggest, because they anticipate their spouses' deaths and can
grieve and develop a support system beforehand. They also may view the
death as bringing an end to their spouses' suffering, the researchers
said. Many experience depression and
have poor health practices while caring for their spouses. But after their
spouses' deaths, caregivers health practices such as sleeping habits and
getting health care improved, though depression levels remained high, said
Dr. Richard Schulz, professor of psychiatry and director of the Center for
Social and Urban Research at the University of Pittsburgh. People who lost their mates
more suddenly experienced increased depression and use of anti-depressant
medication, as well as significant weight loss. This may occur because of
the unpredictable nature of the spouse's death and the greater disruption
of social environment, the researchers said.
Copyright
© 2002 Global Action on Aging
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