An estimated 5.3 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease . Approximately 10 million Americans are unpaid caregivers for a person with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia .
The health and emotional stability of people who care for Alzheimer’s patients directly affects the patients themselves, and thus should be an important part of the patients’ care plans. In addition, the Alzheimer's Association estimates that in 2008 the economic value of the care provided by the 10 million family members and friends of Alzheimer’s patients was almost $94 billion (based on their hours of care, which, for 1 in 4 of the caregivers surveyed, was 40 or more hours per week).
The daily routine of caring for a chronically ill person can put tremendous physical and emotional strain on caregivers, particularly for families who have assumed care responsibilities more recently. A number of studies have been conducted regarding interventions targeting Alzheimer’s caregivers, as research has shown that caretaker burden is a primary reason for placing Alzheimer’s patients in nursing homes.
Project Care was a 5-week long, randomized controlled trial that found that specifically targeted, group-based behavioral interventions reduced caregiver distress related to neuropsychiatric symptoms in the patient (such as irritability, anxiety , and depression ). The Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer’s Caregiver Health have found that targeted interventions with multiple components may be more effective for caregivers than broader, psychoeducational interventions.
The importance of easing the mental and physical burdens of those who care for Alzheimer’s patients cannot be underestimated, as the health of Alzheimer’s patients is closely related to the health of their caregivers.
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
Alzheimer Society
http://www.alzheimer.ca/
Health Canada
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/index-eng.php/
References:
2009 Alzheimer’s disease facts and figures. Alzheimer’s Association website. Available at: http://www.alz.org/national/documents/report_alzfactsfigures2009.pdf. Published 2009. Accessed April 10, 2009.
Gaugler JE, Kane RL, Kane RA, Clay T, Newcomer RC. The effects of duration of caregiving on institutionalization. Gerontologist . 2005;45:78-89.
Gonyea JG, O'Connor MK, Boyle PA. Project CARE: a randomized controlled trial of a behavioral intervention group for Alzheimer's disease caregivers. Gerontologist . 2006;46:827-832.
Last reviewed April 2009 by Judy Chang, MD, FAASM
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