Depressed people and depressed carers

A study of 97 people and their carers in Canada has shown that compared to caregivers looking after people without depression those who looked after depressed people had much worse mental health and were more likely to become depressed themselves. This was despite the fact that those people looking after non-depressed people had worse physical health than those caring for depressed people.

McCusker, Jane ... [et al] - Major depression among medically ill elders contributes to sustained poor mental health in their informal caregivers Age and ageing July 2007, 36(4), 400-406