Burden of caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease

Abstract

Introduction: Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, degenerative brain disease of unknown aetiology. It is characterised by a gradual deterioration of cognitive processes, especially memory, orientation and thinking. With the deepening of Alzheimer's disease, the independence of patients is increasingly limited, what results in an increased involvement of caregivers in care. Excessive duties contribute to the development of caregiver burnout.

Aim: The aim of the study was to examine the level of feeling of burden in caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease and to determine the relationship between selected parameters and the feeling of burden.

Material and methods: The study included 55 people with Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers. In order to test the level of the burden, the Polish version of Caregiver Burden Scale was used. The level of self-esteem was assessed using the Polish version of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale.

Results: The total result of the level of burden of caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease, according to the Caregiver Burden Scale, was 2.6 points. There was a significant relationship between the feeling of burden and the caregiver's gender, the lack of free time, the number of hours devoted to day care, the number of years of patient care, the degree of a caregiver's self-assessment and the progression of the patient's disease.

Conclusions: In the examined group of caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease and according to the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the medium level of care burden and the average level of self-esteem were prevailing.

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Caregiver Burden Scale; Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale; caregiver's burden.