Quality of life caregivers of patients with vascular dementia and alzheimer’s disease

Abstract

78 female caregivers were examined for study the specifics of the quality of life of women who care for patients with vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, to determine, in the future, the targets of differentiated psychosocial rehabilitation of this contingent of patients. The study was conducted using clinical-psychopathological and psychodiagnostic methods. As a result of the study, it was established that two main trends play a decisive role in the deterioration of the quality of life of women who care for patients with vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease: the quality indicators are highest in women who care for patients for a long time (more than a year) and the period of care falls on the stage of clinically pronounced manifestations of the disease (moderate dementia stage). In general, the highest indicators of the quality of life belong to female caregivers who have psycho-emotional and social support, a wide circle of communication, and the lowest — those who are in conditions of maximum isolation from society. The specified regularities should be taken into account when providing outpatient care for patients with vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as their family members, the development of which constitutes the perspective of this work.