Service Utilization by Wife Caregivers of Frail Older Veterans

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Abstract
This study investigated patterns and predictors of service utilization among wife caregivers of frail older veterans. The study focused on the following sets of variables: predisposing, enabling, care-receiver need, and caregiver need. Respondents were 80 wife caregivers of frail older (age 55+) veterans at a Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) in a Midwestern state. Wife caregivers used a mix of VAMC and non-VAMC services. Care-receiver functional status was a significant predictor of both frequency of service use and number of services ever used. Caregivers' perception of service availability and attitude toward service use were the strongest predictors of number of services ever used.