Dementia caregiver burden

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other dementias are common degenerative disorders in the elderly. Most AD patients are cared for at home by family members, usually elderly spouses. Although caregiving is associated with significant psychological and physical morbidity, there are wide individual differences among caregivers in how well they adapt to caregiving demands. In addition, recent data suggest that caregiver variables can be important determinants of AD patient institutionalization and that AD patients living with highly distressed caregivers may exhibit higher frequencies of behavioral problems and agitation than those living with less distressed caregivers. Predictors of caregiver outcome, predictors of institutionalization, and the effect of the caregiver on the course and symptomatology of dementia are described. A model of assessment and intervention for the physician, referral processes, and resources for the caregiver are presented.

The informal caregiver's burden of dependent people: Theory and empirical review

“…With regard to the primary stress factors, the influence of behavioral problems generated by dementias or other mental disorders can appear in a severe way, as opposed to the cognitive deficiencies and dependence for the activities of daily life, as generators of excessive burden in the caregiver, emotional discomfort, exhaustion, and emotional mood disorders (Dunkin and Anderson-Hanley, 1998;Hawranik and Strain, 2000).…”

Variables related to the informal caregivers’ burden of dependent senior citizens in Spain

“…Equally, the primary stress factors such as the behavioral problems of the dependent person to a great degree cause burden, emotional discomfort, exhaustion, and emotional mood disorders in the caregiver more than the cognitive deficiencies and dependency for the activities of daily life (Dunkin and Anderson-Hanley, 1998;Gaugler et al, 1999;Hawranik and Strain, 2000).…”

Subjective and Objective Caregiver Burden in Parkinson's Disease

“…Caregiver well-being has important implications for caregiving outcomes, particularly in the elderly, such as the use of institutional placement and the course of the disease (Dunkin & Anderson-Hanley, 1998). Caregiver burden has been shown to be correlated with patients' depression, quality of life, and incidence of falls, and also with caregivers' own satisfaction with their marital and sexual relationship (Schrag, Hovris, Morley, Quinn, & Jahanshahi, 2006).…”