Social class and the subjective adaptation of caregivers to institutionalization

While past research has focused on various factors related to caregiver adaptation to institutionalization, a comprehensive measure of social class has yet to be considered as a possible predictor of caregiver stress and psychosocial well-being. The present study investigated this relationship in caregivers of family members institutionalized with dementia (N = 185). Results showed that caregivers in higher social strata visited less frequently and reported lower levels of guilt than those in lower social strata. The findings illustrate the importance of recognizing the influence of social class following placement and point toward practice implications that may ease this transitional period.