Caregivers of elderlies with dementia: their social and demographic profile and daily impact

Abstract

The caregivers/family members of elderly with Alzheimer's disease (AD) are responsible for assisting these individuals in their performance of instrumental and basic daily activities during the course of the disease. The financial, emotional and physical stress that caregivers undergo results in a huge impact in the offered quality of care, the distress of the caregiver / family and in their daily routine. The objective of the present study is to outline the social and demographic profile of the caregiver of elderly with AD and the impact of the care on their daily routine. Fifty caregivers of elderly with AD, according to American Psychiatric Association (APA, 1994), were evaluated through semi structured questionnaire at the Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo School of Medicine and Unit Care of Dementia of Inter Professional Nucleus of Aging Research and Care, Federal University of São Paulo - Campus Baixada Santista. In our research, the majority of caregivers are female close relatives that spend quite a lot of time doing this activity, which has a negative psychic and financial impact. The acknowledgement of these characteristics let us reflect on the proposition and establishment of public polices aiming the services to support, intervene and guide these caregivers/family members.