[Burden of caregivers caring for persons with dementia].

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other dementias are common disorders in the elderly. Most AD patients are cared for at home by family members. Caregiving stress often leads to problems in care givers' mental and physical health. Certain factors predict caregivers' distress, such as the presence of patient behavioral problems, the nature of the caregivers' social support and ability to cope with difficult situations. The term "caregiver burden" is used to refer to the physical, psychological or emotional, social and financial problems that can be experienced by family members caring for impaired older adults.