Supporting those who care for the aged : an investigation of abuse of the aged and the relationship between carer strain and social support networks

Abuse of elderly people has been widely researched over the last 20 years. A review of recent literature reveals a wide range of precursors to abuse of the elderly and an equally wide range of proposed interventions: There is wide reference in the literature however, to carer strain or the burden of care experienced by primary carers, with an emphasis on the detection and treatment of the abuser rather than on sociological factors which could lead to the alleviation of abuse or its prevention. This study investigated the place of formal and informal social support networks in relation to the level of strain perceived by primary carers of elderly persons. A sample of SO primary carers were asked to complete a questionnaire about the level of strain they experienced as carers and their use of and satisfaction with formal and informal support networks. The results revealed-a high level of satisfaction with formal services whatever the level of perceived strain reported.. A trend towards a higher level of perceived strain where the size and level of satisfaction with informal supports was lower was also shown. Implications include further examination of . individual formal services and the development of strategies to enhance informal networks.