Elderly Informal Caregivers in the World and in Turkey: Traditional Review

Year 2023, , 182 - 193, 31.12.2023

Lutfiye İpek , Gokce Yagmur Gunes Gencer

https://doi.org/10.47141/geriatrik.1330317

Abstract

It is known that the number of elderly individuals in need of care is increasing rapidly with the increase in life expectancy and the aging of the population worldwide. Care needs are also mostly met by family members who provide informal care. Globally, it is known that the number of informal caregivers to the older adults is increasing, and the number of informal caregivers aged 65 and over is increasing due to demographic changes. Providing informal care is a very difficult process physically, psychologically and socially, especially for older adults. This particular group may need care as well as being caregivers because they face the problems of their own aging process as well as their variable and increasing responsibilities during the care process. Although caregiving has significant impacts on the health and well-being of an increasing number of older people, the issue of informal care in old age appears to be under-studied, and elderly informal caregivers are a much-needed future focus of gerontological practice, policy and research. There is a need for gerontological service models for elderly caregivers. In order to develop these service models, it is crucial to analyze the profile of the elderly caregivers in our country, to determine their needs, and to evaluate the financial burden of care for the elderly caregivers.

Keywords

Caregiver Burden, Elderly, Elderly Caregiver, Elderly Informal Caregiver, Care

Project Number

-

Dünya’da ve Türkiye’de Yaşlı İnformal Bakım Verenler: Geleneksel Derleme

Abstract

Dünya genelinde yaşam süresinin artması ve nüfusun yaşlanması ile bakıma ihtiyaç duyan yaşlı birey sayısının hızla arttığı bilinmektedir. Bakım ihtiyaçları da çoğunlukla informal bakım sağlayan aile üyeleri tarafından karşılanmaktadır. Küresel olarak, yaşlılara informal bakım verenlerin sayısının giderek arttığı bununla birlikte demografik değişiklikler nedeniyle 65 yaş ve üstü informal bakım verenlerin de sayısının giderek arttığı bilinmektedir. İnformal bakım vermek özellikle yaşlı bireyler için fiziksel, psikolojik ve sosyal açıdan oldukça zor bir süreçtir. Bu özel grup bakım veren olmalarının yanı sıra bakıma ihtiyaç da duyabilir çünkü bakım süreci boyunca değişken ve artan sorumluluklarının yanı sıra kendi yaşlanma süreçlerindeki problemlerle de karşı karşıya kalmaktadırlar. Bakım vermenin artan sayıda yaşlı bireyin sağlığı ve esenliği üzerinde önemli etkileri olmasına rağmen, yaşlılık döneminde informal bakım verme konusunun yeterince çalışılmadığı görülmektedir ve yaşlı informal bakım verenler gerontolojik uygulama, politika ve araştırmaların gelecekte çok ihtiyaç duyulan bir odak noktasıdır. Yaşlı bakım verenlere yönelik gerontolojik hizmet modellerine ihtiyaç vardır. Bu hizmet modellerinin geliştirilebilmesi için ülkemizde yaşlı bakım verenlerin profilini analiz etmek, ihtiyaçlarını belirlemek, yaşlı bakım verenler için bakımın mali yükünü değerlendirmek oldukça önemlidir.

Keywords

Bakım Yükü, Yaşlı, Yaşlı Bakım Veren, Yaşlı İnformal Bakıcı, Bakım

Supporting Institution

Bulunmamaktadır.

Project Number

-

Thanks

-

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