Dementia and mental handicap: emotional distress in carers.

A postal survey was conducted to examine levels of emotional distress in three groups of carers, namely, daughters caring for a dementing parent, mothers caring for a mentally handicapped child and mothers caring for a mentally handicapped adult. Daughters caring for a dementing parent reported significantly higher levels of distress than both groups of mothers. Emotional distress for all groups was higher than found in the general population, although this difference was only significant for the group of daughters and the mothers with a mentally handicapped child. Findings are discussed in relation to service provision and level of disability.