Burden in elderly patient care with dementia

Abstract

Due to the population ageing, the chronic- degenerative diseases have grown. The dementias have been highlighted because of the cognitive progressive loss that compromises the performance on the daily activities, reducing the autonomy and the independence matter. The responsibility for the care provided changes the caregivers’ routine, causing physical and emotional distress. Objectives: evaluate the level of burden taken by the caregivers of patients with dementia and its factors, characterize the patients and caregivers’ samples and identify the daily activities compromised by the dementia. Method: descriptive report, exploratory, approved by the Ethic Committee in Research/ FAMERP statement #358.178, held from September to December in 2013, with 31 caregivers of patients with dementia, assisted in a reference hospital ambulatory.  The caregivers signed the Open Consent and Post Clarification Form, being submitted to questionnaires appliances: Caregiver from Zarit Overburden Scale and semi-structured interviews. Results: As the framework of dementia increases, there is an elderly autonomy and independence reduction. Fisher Exact Test showed a significant statistic in the reduction of leisure activities performance, by the elderly, before and after the state of dementia (p=0,0181). Among the evaluated caregivers, the feminine genre prevailed, with an average of 53±12,4 and the reduction of leisure activities performance, by the caregivers, before and after they undertook the position of informal caregiver (p=0,0078). Conclusion: the reduction or cancellation of the leisure activity on the daily life implies in these caregivers quality of life, which can be emphasized by the presented burden. The data points to a necessity of attention from the health multidisciplinary team to these caregivers, including the occupational therapist, and enables a reflection about a relevant subject: the care for the caregiver.