PsychoeducationalProgram for Family Caregivers of Elderly Patients with Neurological Diseases

STEFANI, D.; LUPANI, M; TARTAGLINI, MF; PIPERNO, L; SOMALE, V.; C DILLON, ; FELDBERG, C.

Buenos Aires

Simposio; AAIC Satellite Symposium; 2018

Alzheimer´s Association

Background. Family caregivers are considered a socio-sanitary high-risk group due to the adverse repercussions that the tasks they must develop, for which they posses no previous training, have on their health. They have been called ?second victims? of the disease or ?hidden patients?. Objective. To implement a psychoeducational program in order to reduce the family caregiver?s burden, improve the bond with the patient and favor adherence to treatment, thereby optimizing times of medical consultation. Method. Design: Prospective cohort study. Subjects: 200 family caregivers, male and female, who are providing care for neurological patients of different level of severity. Instruments: socio-demographic and psychosocial questionnaire of both patient and caregiver (built ad hoc), Zarit Burden Interview and an adherence to medical treatment and optimization of consultation time questionnaire (built ad hoc). Procedure: The intervention consists of an individual evaluation and psychosocial orientation interview with the family caregiver will be conducted, as well as three follow-up interviews. In parallel, 10 psychoeducational group talks on specific subjects of patient?s care and caregivers will be given. When the series of talks is finished, an individual evaluation will take place in order to assess the impact of the program. Results. Preliminary data of 60 caregivers, who have taken part in the program so far, indicate that median age was 67 years old (ds= 10,7), 61% of which are wives, who had been caring for their spouses for 4 years. 84% of the sample perceived that providing care had affected their health and presented an intense level of burden (m=64, ds=13). Discussion: Our findings concur with those presented in scientific literature and support the WHO recommendations regarding the need to implement intervention programs for family caregivers, in order to moderate the impact that providing care for an elderly relative with a neurological disease has on them.