How Dementia Caregiver Impacts

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Recommended: Assess the possible effects of dementia on individuals and families

Dementia Caregiving Has Impact on Caregiver Health
Melodie Nelson
Florida Institute of Technology

Abstract
Caregivers play a crucial role in the care of dementia patients. The caregivers experience stress which can cause health impacts to caregiver. The caregivers go through a journey with the dementia patient and need a strong support system. The best approach to dementia care is for healthcare providers to provide information to and monitor the caregiver in addition to the dementia patient, encourage the caregiver to take care of themselves and seek support, and to work as a team to provide the best care for the dementia patient.
Keywords: caregiver impacts, dementia care, caregiver issues The research paper is to be written …show more content…

Alzheimer’s is a disease that effects the brain and causes dementia symptoms. Dementia is the generic term that is used by healthcare professionals to describe the symptoms of memory and judgment issues that effect patients and replaces the term senile.
Dementia is a growing problem in the United States and around the world. There are currently 5.3 million people in the United States who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or other dementias and this number is expected to increase by 40 percent in the next decade (Alzheimer’s Association, 2015). Dementia care is typically provided by an unpaid caregiver that is a relation or close friend until the patient is admitted to a long term care facility such as assisted living or a nursing home. Once the patient has been admitted to a facility, the caregiver still provides care for the dementia patient just in another capacity.
This paper will review studies conducted on numerous caregiving topics on dementia, caregivers, and the effects to the caregivers in an effort to identify if dementia caregiver’s health is impacted by providing care to dementia …show more content…

The results of their examination showed higher impact rates in most areas studied for dementia caregivers such as caregiving time, and negative impacts in the caregiver’s health, both mental and physical, as well as in relationships and work hardship.
Papastavrou, Kalokerinou, Papacostas, Tsangari, & Sourtzi (2007) conducted a study that showed higher issues with the burden of caregiving and feelings of depression as well as isolation in the dementia caregivers. The study also found that behavior problems by the care recipient placed more burdens on the caregiver than the impacts of diminished mental understanding or physical abilities and usually resulted in the care recipient being placed in a long term care facility.
The demands on the caregivers relates to high levels of stress for the caregivers and impacts their lives in the following areas: caregiving time, negative impacts in the caregiver’s health (both mental and physical), as well as in relationships, and work hardship (Ory, Hoffman, Yee, Tennstedt, & Schultz,

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