The effect of progressive muscle relaxation exercises on care satisfaction, care burden and depression level, applied to caregivers of bedridden elderly patients

The aim of this randomized controlled trialis to examine the effect of progressive muscle relaxation exercises (PMR) on care satisfaction, care burden and depression level of caregivers of bedridden elderly individuals. There search was conducted between March 15, 2019 and March 15, 2020 with 20 individuals who provide care to bedridden elderly patients who receive service from Aksaray University Training and Research Hospital Home Health Services Unit.The data of the study were collectedusing the Introductory Information Form, Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale, Beck Depression Scale, Carer's Assessment of Satisfaction Index and PMR Follow-up Form. Caregivers in the intervention group were administered PMR 4 times a week for eight weeks. In the sample selection of the study, individuals who had homevisits on Mondays and Thursdays were included in the control group, and thosewhowerevisited on Tuesdays and Fridays were included in the intervention group.Data were evaluatedusingchi-square, t test, dependent sample t test and repeatedmeasures ANOVA test. At the end of the intervention, it was determined that the caregiver burden and depression level of the caregivers in the intervention group were statistically significantly lower than those in the control group. It was determined that the rewasno statistically significant difference between the care satisfaction levels of the caregivers in both groups. It is recommended that progressive muscle relaxation exercises be applied to individuals who care for elderly patients who are dependent on the bed and their use should be widespread.