Abstract

LLIBRE GUERRA, Juan Carlos; GUERRA HERNANDEZ, Milagros A.  and  PERERA MINIET, Elianne. Psychosocial impact of demential syndrome in crucial care givers. Rev Cubana Med Gen Integr [online]. 2008, vol.24, n.1. ISSN 0864-2125.

The dementias, entities of an elevated frequency in the older adult, are an increasing health problem in countries with a high life expectancy at birth as ours, not only because of their magnitude, but also because of their repercussion at the individual, familiar and social levels. A descriptive cross-sectional study was undertaken from January 2003 to January 2005 in the health areas of Marianao municipality with the objective of determining the psychosocial impact of the demential syndrome in crucial care givers. 110 care givers of patients with dementia and Alzheimer disease diagnosed according to the criteria of the DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV) were visited. Most of the crucial care givers of the patients with dementia corresponded to married females, wife or daughters of the patient, in the fifth decade of life, housewives, and with a middle level educational level. The care giver spent approximately 12 hours to take care of the patient. Most of the time was devoted to supervision. Psychological affectation was observed in 89 % of the care givers. The overload or stress level was significantly high in the sample. The care givers considered as first priority the information about the disease and the attention to the patient. It was recommended to use an educative intervention plan directed to the care givers in order to reduce the physical, psychological and economic overload of care and to improve their quality of life.

Keywords : Dementia; Alzheimer's disease; main or crucial care giver.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )