|
|
||||||||
Clinical Review |
Received March 7, 2003; revised September 24, 2003; accepted October 28, 2004. From the University Center for Social and Urban Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA. Send correspondence to Richard Schultz, Ph.D., Professor of Psychiatry, Director, University Center for Social and Urban Research, University of Pittsburgh, 121 University Place, 6th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15260. e-mail: schultz{at}pitt.edu
©2004 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry
ABSTRACT
The authors summarize the dementia caregiving literature and provide recommendations regarding practice guidelines for health professionals working with caregivers. Family caregiving of older persons with disability has become commonplace in the United States because of increases in life expectancy and the aging of the population, with resulting higher prevalence of chronic diseases and associated disabilities, increased constraints in healthcare reimbursement, and advances in medical technology. As a result, family members are increasingly being asked to perform complex tasks similar to those carried out by paid health or social service providers, often at great cost to their own well-being and great benefit to their relatives and society as a whole. The public health significance of caregiving has spawned an extensive literature in this area, much of it focused on dementia caregiving because of the unique and extreme challenges associated with caring for someone with cognitive impairment. This article summarizes the literature on dementia caregiving, identifies key issues and major findings regarding the definition and prevalence of caregiving, describes the psychiatric and physical health effects of caregiving, and reviews various intervention approaches to improving caregiver burden, depression, and quality of life. Authors review practice guidelines and recommendations for healthcare providers in light of the empirical literature on family caregiving.
Key Words: Alzheimer Disease Dementias Family Caregiving
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
W. T. Chien and Y. M. Lee A Disease Management Program for Families of Persons in Hong Kong With Dementia Psychiatr Serv, April 1, 2008; 59(4): 433 - 436. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
C. H. Ott, S. Sanders, and S. T. Kelber Grief and Personal Growth Experience of Spouses and Adult-Child Caregivers of Individuals With Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias Gerontologist, December 1, 2007; 47(6): 798 - 809. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
C. S. Mackenzie, U. J. Wiprzycka, L. Hasher, and D. Goldstein Does Expressive Writing Reduce Stress and Improve Health for Family Caregivers of Older Adults? Gerontologist, June 1, 2007; 47(3): 296 - 306. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
D. Gallagher-Thompson, H. L. Gray, P. C.Y. Tang, C. Y. Pu, L. Y.L. Leung, P.-C. Wang, C. Tse, S. Hsu, E. Kwo, H.-Q. Tong, et al. Impact of In-Home Behavioral Management Versus Telephone Support to Reduce Depressive Symptoms and Perceived Stress in Chinese Caregivers: Results of a Pilot Study Am J Geriatr Psychiatry, May 1, 2007; 15(5): 425 - 434. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. Finkel, S. J. Czaja, R. Schulz, Z. Martinovich, C. Harris, and D. Pezzuto E-Care: A Telecommunications Technology Intervention for Family Caregivers of Dementia Patients Am J Geriatr Psychiatry, May 1, 2007; 15(5): 443 - 448. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
D. P. Coehlo, K. Hooker, and S. Bowman Institutional Placement of Persons With Dementia: What Predicts Occurrence and Timing? Journal of Family Nursing, May 1, 2007; 13(2): 253 - 277. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
L. Ogioni, R. Liperoti, F. Landi, M. Soldato, R. Bernabei, G. Onder, and on behalf of the Silvernet Study Group Cross-Sectional Association Between Behavioral Symptoms and Potential Elder Abuse Among Subjects in Home Care in Italy: Results From the Silvernet Study Am J Geriatr Psychiatry, January 1, 2007; 15(1): 70 - 78. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. H. Belle, L. Burgio, R. Burns, D. Coon, S. J. Czaja, D. Gallagher-Thompson, L. N. Gitlin, J. Klinger, K. M. Koepke, C. C. Lee, et al. Enhancing the Quality of Life of Dementia Caregivers from Different Ethnic or Racial Groups: A Randomized, Controlled Trial. Ann Intern Med, November 21, 2006; 145(10): 727 - 738. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
D. Gallagher-Thompson Caregiving Issues: Covering the Spectrum From Detection to End of Life Am J Geriatr Psychiatry, August 1, 2006; 14(8): 635 - 641. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
E. Moniz-Cook and M. Vernooij-Dassen Editorial: Timely psychosocial intervention in dementia: a primary care perspective Dementia, August 1, 2006; 5(3): 307 - 315. [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
K. Pillemer and J. J. Suitor Making choices: a within-family study of caregiver selection. Gerontologist, August 1, 2006; 46(4): 439 - 448. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
I. Cormac and P. Tihanyi Meeting the mental and physical healthcare needs of carers Advan. Psychiatr. Treat., May 1, 2006; 12(3): 162 - 172. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
G. P. Epstein-Lubow, I. W. Miller, and L. McBee Mindfulness Training for Caregivers Psychiatr Serv, March 1, 2006; 57(3): 421 - 421. [Full Text] |
||||
![]() |
A. L. Bank, S. Arguelles, M. Rubert, C. Eisdorfer, and S. J. Czaja The Value of Telephone Support Groups Among Ethnically Diverse Caregivers of Persons With Dementia Gerontologist, February 1, 2006; 46(1): 134 - 138. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. I. Wallhagen and N. Yamamoto-Mitani The Meaning of Family Caregiving in Japan and the United States: A Qualitative Comparative Study J Transcult Nurs, January 1, 2006; 17(1): 65 - 73. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
C. C. Valentino and S. M. Bulmer Using cognitive mapping to explore women caregivers' experiences American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias, November 1, 2005; 20(6): 331 - 339. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. L. Lewis, K. Hepburn, S. Narayan, and L. N. Kirk Relationship matters in demantia caregiving American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias, November 1, 2005; 20(6): 341 - 347. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
P. P. Vitaliano, W. Katon, and J. Unutzer Making the Case for Caregiver Research in Geriatric Psychiatry Am J Geriatr Psychiatry, October 1, 2005; 13(10): 834 - 843. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. G. Gonyea, M. O'Connor, A. Carruth, and P. A. Boyle Subjective appraisal of Alzheimer's disease caregiving: The role of self-efficacy and depressive symptoms in the experience of burden American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias, September 1, 2005; 20(5): 273 - 280. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
G. Berger, T. Bernhardt, E. Weimer, J. Peters, T. Kratzsch, and L. Frolich Longitudinal Study on the Relationship Between Symptomatology of Dementia and Levels of Subjective Burden and Depression Among Family Caregivers in Memory Clinic Patients J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol, September 1, 2005; 18(3): 119 - 128. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. P. Janicki, A. J. Dalton, P. McCallion, D. D. Baxley, and A. Zendell Group home care for adults with intellectual disabilities and Alzheimer's disease Dementia, August 1, 2005; 4(3): 361 - 385. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. J.F.J. Vernooij-Dassen and E. D. Moniz-Cook Editorial Dementia, June 1, 2005; 4(2): 163 - 169. [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. Schulz and T. L. Patterson Caregiving in Geriatric Psychiatry Am J Geriatr Psychiatry, June 1, 2004; 12(3): 234 - 237. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ALL ISSUES | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |