BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's family caregivers suffer from psychological and physical morbidity associated with the care of the Alzheimer's patient. The objectives of the study were to compare stress and psychological morbidity between family caregivers of Alzheimer's disease patients and family caregivers of aged non-demented chronically ill patients and to explore the impact of cognitive and non-cognitive patient symptoms on caregivers. METHOD: Fifty-eight caregivers of Alzheimer's patients (cases) and 32 caregivers of non-demented chronically ill patients (controls) were studied. A cross-sectional case-control design was employed using validated scales to assess patient symptomatology and self-report questionnaires to measure stress and psychological morbidity in caregivers. RESULTS: Compared to controls, stress and psychological morbidity were higher in caregivers of Alzheimer's patients. Behavioral symptoms and impairment in instrumental activities of daily living were associated with caregiver stress. Length of care was associated with caregiver psychological morbidity. CONCLUSIONS: Caregiver stress may be reduced with special attention paid to the treatment and management of behavioral and functional symptoms in the Alzheimer's disease patient. Caregiver education and coping skills should also be included. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
BACKGROUND:Alzheimer's family caregivers suffer from psychological and physical morbidity associated with the care of the Alzheimer'spatient. The objectives of the study were to compare stress and psychological morbidity between family caregivers of Alzheimer's diseasepatients and family caregivers of aged non-demented chronically ill patients and to explore the impact of cognitive and non-cognitive patient symptoms on caregivers. METHOD: Fifty-eight caregivers of Alzheimer'spatients (cases) and 32 caregivers of non-demented chronically ill patients (controls) were studied. A cross-sectional case-control design was employed using validated scales to assess patient symptomatology and self-report questionnaires to measure stress and psychological morbidity in caregivers. RESULTS: Compared to controls, stress and psychological morbidity were higher in caregivers of Alzheimer'spatients. Behavioral symptoms and impairment in instrumental activities of daily living were associated with caregiver stress. Length of care was associated with caregiver psychological morbidity. CONCLUSIONS: Caregiver stress may be reduced with special attention paid to the treatment and management of behavioral and functional symptoms in the Alzheimer's diseasepatient. Caregiver education and coping skills should also be included. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Authors: Toru Okura; Brenda L Plassman; David C Steffens; David J Llewellyn; Guy G Potter; Kenneth M Langa Journal: J Am Geriatr Soc Date: 2010-01-26 Impact factor: 5.562
Authors: Katherine Ornstein; Joseph E Gaugler; D P Devanand; Nikos Scarmeas; Carolyn Zhu; Yaakov Stern Journal: Am J Geriatr Psychiatry Date: 2013-02-06 Impact factor: 4.105
Authors: David S Knopman; Samantha Budd Haeberlein; Maria C Carrillo; James A Hendrix; Geoff Kerchner; Richard Margolin; Paul Maruff; David S Miller; Gary Tong; Maria B Tome; Melissa E Murray; Peter T Nelson; Mary Sano; Niklas Mattsson; David L Sultzer; Thomas J Montine; Clifford R Jack; Hartmuth Kolb; Ronald C Petersen; Prashanthi Vemuri; Megan Zoschg Canniere; Julie A Schneider; Susan M Resnick; Gary Romano; Argonde Corien van Harten; David A Wolk; Lisa J Bain; Eric Siemers Journal: Alzheimers Dement Date: 2018-04 Impact factor: 21.566
Authors: Valentina E Di Mattei; Antonio Prunas; Liliana Novella; Alessandra Marcone; Stefano F Cappa; Lucio Sarno Journal: Neurol Sci Date: 2008-12-12 Impact factor: 3.307
Authors: Martin Steinberg; Kyle Hess; Chris Corcoran; Michelle M Mielke; Maria Norton; John Breitner; Robert Green; Jeannie Leoutsakos; Kathleen Welsh-Bohmer; Constantine Lyketsos; Joann Tschanz Journal: Int J Geriatr Psychiatry Date: 2013-05-17 Impact factor: 3.485