Factors affecting the utilization of homecare supports by caregiving relatives of Alzheimer patients.

Thirty-six homecare patients with dementia of Alzheimer type (DAT) and their caregiving relatives were studied to determine the factors influencing their use or nonuse of available medical, institutional, instrumental, and legal supports. The rate of utilization of homecare support was found to be surprisingly low. Only when the burden of providing care had become intolerable did relatives resort to homecare support (homecare allowance, counseling, outpatient services, etc.). The main reason for the low utilization was poor knowledge regarding the availability of homecare supports. Since all of the DAT patients were under the care of a family doctor, this information deficit could best be overcome by improved counseling from personal physicians.