Frequently, the principle reason for institutionalizing cognitively impaired older persons is the caregivers' inability to continue providing help, and not the severity of deficits. Factors related to the caregivers' feelings of burden in a sample of 29 community-living older persons with senile dementia were investigated. Caregivers were spouses (N=18) and daughters (N-11). The extent of cognitive deficit of the impaired person, caregivers' reports of memory and behavior problems, the amount of social services received, frequency of visits from relatives and friends, and problems in activities of daily living, were examined by a structured interview. Feelings of burden were significantly correlated with the frequency of visits made by others, but not with other variables, including the severity of cognitive impairment and frequency of memory and behavior problems. (Author)