Dang Stuti, Badiye Amit, Kelkar Geetanjali
Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center and Extended Care and Research Services, VA Healthcare System, Miami, FL 33125, USA.
South Med J. 2008 Dec;101(12):1246-51. doi: 10.1097/SMJ.0b013e318187cccc.
Caring for loved ones with dementia is challenging and stressful for family members who have to provide the home care. The responsibility takes a huge physical, emotional, and financial toll on the caregivers, which is known as caregiver burden. The survival and quality of life of the dementia patient have been shown to be related to the well-being of the caregiver. An overwhelmed caregiver can result in premature institutionalization and increased health-care utilization, by both the patients and the caregivers. The physician should periodically assess caregivers for the level of perceived burden, presence of depression and anxiety, social support, behavioral problems in the care recipient, and coping strategies and help the patient and caregiver with advance care planning. Strategies that meld support, education, and practical counseling about common caregiving stresses and community resources seem to mitigate caregiver burden and depression.
对于必须提供家庭护理的家庭成员而言，照顾患有痴呆症的亲人既具有挑战性又充满压力。这项责任给照料者带来了巨大的身体、情感和经济负担，这就是所谓的照料者负担。事实证明，痴呆症患者的生存和生活质量与照料者的幸福息息相关。不堪重负的照料者可能会导致患者过早地被送进养老院，并增加患者和照料者双方的医疗保健利用率。医生应定期评估照料者所感受到的负担程度、是否存在抑郁和焦虑、社会支持情况、受照料者的行为问题以及应对策略，并帮助患者和照料者进行预先护理规划。将支持、教育以及针对常见照料压力和社区资源的实用咨询结合起来的策略，似乎能够减轻照料者的负担和抑郁情绪。
