Current Common Usages of the Concept
The concept of caregiver stress has been commonly
used in the literature to describe the burden or strain that caregivers face when caring for a person with a
chronic illness, such as ADRD. Past literature stated
that caregiver burden may be a dimension of caregiver
well-being, and that “burden and well-being represent
opposite sides of the same coin” (Stull, Kosloski, &
Kercher, 1994, p. 88). After reviewing the literature,
we have noted that the term caregiver burden is often
used in academic or research contexts but still refers to
the stress that caregivers experience in taking care of
chronically ill family members, particularly those with
ADRD. “Stress” refers more often to a global concept,
especially in the clinical nursing arena, although at
some level the two usages have been often interchangeable.
For purposes of this paper, the authors
will use the term caregiver stress, although its similarity
with burden is acknowledged given the work of others
who have studied the concept.