Leisure and distress in caregivers for elderly patients.

Caregiving for the elderly has been linked to mental and physical problems in those providing the care. The aim of this study is to analyze the effects of leisure on caregiver's burden and mental health. Drawing on the stress and coping model, 134 caregiver/care-recipient dyads were assessed. In addition to caregivers' perception of their leisure time, social support, burden and mental health, care-recipients' functional and mental status were also measured. The results of a set of hierarchical regression analyses showed that caregivers' perceptions of their leisure time were significantly negatively related to burden and mental health problems (p<0.01), even after socio-demographic variables, care recipient's functional status and caregiver's social support had been controlled. The results of this study suggest that leisure time has a significant impact on caregiver's psychological well-being, and appears to be an important issue for buffering caregiver distress.