Physical activity as an intervention strategy for reducing caregiver burden in caregivers of older adults.

Abstract

Caregiver syndrome is characterized by physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion that can affect health and well-being. The objective of this study was to evaluate, in a pilot study, the effects of a physical activity program on a formal caregiver of older adults. A pretest-posttest design was used to measure stress and burden levels before and after the intervention. The results showed a decrease in perceived burden, as well as an improvement in various physical fitness variables. The findings suggest a favorable trend associated with the implementation of the program. It is recommended that this type of intervention be expanded in future studies with larger sample sizes.