The effect of agitation on caregivers’ burden in patients with dementia

Abstract

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of agitation on caregiver relatives’ subjective burden together with other possible factors such as depressive symptoms, cognitive functions, duration of dementia, and caregivers’ age, education and gender.

Materials and Method: The participants were 49 patients with dementia (mean age: 76.5; SD: 5.6) and their caregivers. Standardized Mini Mental Test and Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia were administered to the patient. Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory, Informant Questionnaire of Cognitive Decline in the Elderly and Zarit Burden Scale were administered to the ca-regivers. Linear regression analysis was used to examine the effects of the variables on caregiver burden.

Results: There was neither a significant difference between gender and type of caregiver in terms of Zarit Burden Scale points, nor a significant correlation between Zarit Burden Scale scores and Standardized Mini Mental Test, Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia, age and education of the patient, education of the caregiver or duration of dementia. Significant correlations between Zarit Burden Scale scores and caregivers’ age, Informant Questionnaire of Cognitive Decline in the Elderly and Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory scores were found. Linear regression analysis showed a relationship only between agitation and caregiver burden.

Conclusion: Patients’ agitation frequency which was assessed by Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory was the basic factor in determining subjective caregiving. In addition to psychopharma-cological treatment, psychosocial interventions for caregivers are effective. In our country, dayca-re and homecare services, as well as supportive and educative psychosocial programs including interventions for agitation, should be improved.