Table 1.

Caregiver and patient characteristics, N = 236.

Mean patient age in years ± SD	76.4 ± 12.1
Patient gender, N (%):
Male	109 (46)
Female	127 (54)
Group by visual acuity, N (%):
Group 2 (legally blind)	76 (32)
Group 1 (low vision, but not legally blind)	160 (68)
Completed vision rehabilitation in past, N (%):
Yes	169 (72)
No	67 (28)
Etiologies of diminished vision, N (%)
Age related macular degeneration	170 (72)
Secondary to diabetic disease	38 (16)
Prior vascular occlusion	28 (7)
Caregiver gender, N (%):
Male	97 (41)
Female	139 (59)
Mean caregiver age, years ± SD	64.8 ± 10.2
Relationship with patient, N (%):
Child	70 (30)
Spouse	122 (52)
Sibling	31 (13)
Other (friend/grandchild)	13 (6)
Caregivers with chronic illness, N (%):
None	175 (74)
One or more chronic illnesses	61 (26)
Patients with chronic illness, N (%):
None	126 (52)
One or more chronic illnesses	110 (48)
Duration of caregiving, years, mean ± SD	6.1 ± 5.6
Hours required for close supervision of the patient per day, mean ± SD	2.2 ± 0.7
Number of supplemental caregivers, mean ± SD	0.37 ± 0.68

BCVA: best corrected visual acuity. Group 1: best corrected visual acuity in the better eye > 6/60 yet worse than 6/18. Group 2: best corrected visual acuity in the better eye ≤6/60 (legally blind).