[A comparative study of caregivers of the elderly with dementia between 1982 and 1991].

The purpose of this study is to clarify the changes of the caregivers'status with comparison of two cross-sectional studies. The subjects were 658 (primary, in 1982) and 705 (secondary, in 1991) group members of "The Association of Families Caring for Elderly Persons with Dementia". The summary of results are as follows: 1) The mean life span of a person suffering dementia was found to be longer in 1991 than 1992. 2) In 1991, about 30 percent of the patients in all age groups were hospitalized and about 70 percent of the patients were treated at home. These facts indicated that the medical facilities had expanded their capacities during the 9 year period for receiving the elderly with dementia. 3) Family members who wished to live independently supported the idea that care should be given by a decreased number of individuals within the family. In that sense, the family's power of caregiving was decreased. 4) The range of main caregivers' informal social-support-network was remarkably expanded. 5) The more the service were expanded, the more the service were utilized by the caregivers. However, the quality and the quantity of the services provided are still not sufficient to meet the caregivers' need. 6) In balance, the difficulties caregivers used to face, seemed to be decreased in 1991.