Lílian Viana Dos Santos Azevedo1, Ismael Luis Calandri2, Andrea Slachevsky3,4,5,6, Héctor Gastón Graviotto7, Maria Carolina Santos Vieira8,9, Caíssa Bezerra de Andrade1, Adriana Peredo Rossetti8,9, Alana Barroso Generoso9, Karoline Carvalho Carmona1, Ludmilla Aparecida Cardoso Pinto1, Marcos Sorbara7, Alejandra Pinto4, Tania Guajardo4, Loreto Olavarria4, Daniela Thumala3,10, Lucía Crivelli2, Ludmila Vivas2, Ricardo Francisco Allegri2, Maira Tonidandel Barbosa1,8, Cecilia M Serrano7, Claudia Miranda-Castillo11,12, Paulo Caramelli1. 1. Behavioral and Cognitive Research Group, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte (MG), Brazil. 2. Department of Cognitive Neurology, Neuropsychology and Neuropsychiatry, FLENI, Buenos Aires, Argentina. 3. Geroscience Center for Brain Health and Metabolism (GERO), Santiago, Chile. 4. Memory and Neuropsychiatric Clinic (CMYN) Neurology Department, Hospital del Salvador and Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile. 5. Neuropsychology and Clinical Neuroscience Laboratory (LANNEC), Physiopathology Department - ICBM, Neurocience and East Neuroscience Departments, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile. 6. Servicio de Neurología, Departamento de Medicina, Clínica Alemana-Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile. 7. Cognitive Neurology and Neuropsychology Department, César Milstein Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina. 8. Faculdade Ciências Médicas de Minas Gerais/FELUMA, Belo Horizonte (MG), Brazil. 9. Geriatric Medicine - Rede Mater Dei de Saúde e AURUS Ensino e Pesquisa do Envelhecimento, Belo Horizonte (MG), Brazil. 10. Department of Psychology, Social Sciences Faculty, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile. 11. Faculty of Nursing, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile. 12. Millennium Institute for Research in Depression and Personality, Santiago, Chile.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: People with dementia and their family caregivers may face a great burden through social isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which can be manifested as various behavioral and clinical symptoms. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impacts of social isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals with dementia and their family caregivers. METHODS: Two semi-structured questionnaires were applied via telephone to family caregivers of people diagnosed with dementia in three cities in Argentina, Brazil, and Chile, in order to assess clinical and behavioral changes in people with dementia and in their caregivers. RESULTS: In general, 321 interviews were conducted. A significant decline in memory function has been reported among 53.0%of people with dementia. In addition, 31.2%of individuals with dementia felt sadder and 37.4%had increased anxiety symptoms. These symptoms of anxiety were greater in individuals with mild to moderate dementia, while symptoms of agitation were greater in individuals with severe dementia. Moreover, compulsive-obsessive behavior, hallucinations, increased forgetfulness, altered appetite, and increased difficulty in activities of daily living were reported more frequently among individuals with moderate to severe dementia. Caregivers reported feeling more tired and overwhelmed during this period and these symptoms were also influenced by the severity of dementia. CONCLUSION: Social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic triggered a series of negative behavioral repercussions, both for people with dementia and for their family caregivers in these three South American countries.
BACKGROUND:People with dementia and their family caregivers may face a great burden through social isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which can be manifested as various behavioral and clinical symptoms. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impacts of social isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals with dementia and their family caregivers. METHODS: Two semi-structured questionnaires were applied via telephone to family caregivers of people diagnosed with dementia in three cities in Argentina, Brazil, and Chile, in order to assess clinical and behavioral changes in people with dementia and in their caregivers. RESULTS: In general, 321 interviews were conducted. A significant decline in memory function has been reported among 53.0%of people with dementia. In addition, 31.2%of individuals with dementia felt sadder and 37.4%had increased anxiety symptoms. These symptoms of anxiety were greater in individuals with mild to moderate dementia, while symptoms of agitation were greater in individuals with severe dementia. Moreover, compulsive-obsessive behavior, hallucinations, increased forgetfulness, altered appetite, and increased difficulty in activities of daily living were reported more frequently among individuals with moderate to severe dementia. Caregivers reported feeling more tired and overwhelmed during this period and these symptoms were also influenced by the severity of dementia. CONCLUSION: Social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic triggered a series of negative behavioral repercussions, both for people with dementia and for their family caregivers in these three South American countries.
Entities:
Keywords:
Behavioral symptoms; COVID-19; caregiver; dementia; social isolation
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