Effect of psychological first aid program on stress level and psychological well-being among caregivers of older adults with alzheimer’s disease

Abstract

Introduction Older adults with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) experience drastic changes in their physical and mental abilities. AD patients became heavily dependent on their caregivers for everyday functions, which have significant implications not only for them but also for their caregivers. So, many AD caregivers experienced an increased level of depression and anxiety symptoms, lower perceived control, and higher burden compared to non-AD caregivers. Therefore, psychological first aid (PFA) and educational interventions are designed to enable those caregivers to meet the daily requirements of their patient care and to cope with its challenges. Aim Determine the effect of psychological first aid program on stress level and psychological well-being among caregivers of older adults with Alzheimer’s disease. Design One group pre-test post-test was followed. Subjects A convenience sample of one hundred (100) caregivers of older adults with AD. Setting All online groups concerned with the care of Alzheimer’s disease patients on Facebook. Tools Socio-demographic and clinical data of older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers’ questionnaire, Alzheimer’s disease knowledge scale, Kingston caregiver stress scale, and authentic identity measures (AIM) scale of psychological well-being Results The psychological first aid program has highly statistically significant effect on the AD caregivers’ knowledge, stress level and psychological well-being as (t=-30.707, P = 0.000, t = 8.500, P = 0.000 & t= -4.763, P = 0.000 respectively). Conclusion Psychological first aid program is considered an effective intervention in decreasing the AD caregivers’ stress and increasing their psychological wellbeing and knowledge regarding delivering care for AD patients.

Effects of General Characteristics, Emotional Labor, Empathy Ability, and Wisdom on the Psychological Well-Being of Female Caregivers Visiting the Homes of Vulnerable Care Recipients and the Elderly

“…Positive interpersonal relationships, a subdomain, had the highest score of 3.75 ± 0.63 points, while autonomy had the lowest score of 3.17 ± 0.38 points. In a study of home-visiting caregivers during COVID-19, Kim et al [29,30] found a psychological well-being level of 3.33 points, similar to the results of this study. As the psychological wellbeing score of caregivers is moderate and not high, the development and implementation of a psychological well-being promotion program for caregivers caring for the elderly with dementia and other vulnerable groups is necessary [30].…”

“…The psychological Well-Being Scale (PWBS) developed by Ryff [28] and adapted by Kim et al [29,30] into a Korean version was modified and used. The tool consists of a total of 43 questions, which are divided into six subdomains; seven questions on self-acceptance, seven on positive interpersonal relationships, seven on autonomy, seven on control over the environment, seven on life purpose, and eight on personal growth.…”

Sex and gender considerations in Alzheimer’s disease: The Women’s Brain Project contribution

“…The correlation between low education levels and the burden of caregiving appears to affect mainly women and has been reviewed elsewhere in excellent detail (Mielke, 2018). This burden on caregivers has been associated with the development of AD and other neuropsychiatric disorders, as highlighted in different studies (Shoukr et al, 2022;Hellis and Mukaetova-Ladinska, 2023). According to Figueroa et al (2021) digital health disadvantages women, particularly those from racial or ethnic minority backgrounds, due to limited access and exclusion from app creation, gender imbalance in digital health leadership, and detrimental gender stereotypes.…”