Caregiver Response to Alzheimer's Disease

Abstract

Research on Alzheimer's Disease caregivers has tried to find a link between 1) the length of time a caregiver has been giving care; or 2) the physical condition of the patient and the experiences and needs of the caregiver. This study found no significant correlation between length of time a caregiver had given care to a particular patient and the caregiver's subjective feelings of caregiver burden. It found a significant, moderate correlation between caregiver burden and the patient's functional ability. It found that caregivers' subjective feelings and needs best predict their feelings of burden. This report concludes with suggestions on how to improve support for caregivers in light of these findings.