Burden of caring for people with dementia – comparing family caregivers and professional caregivers. A descriptive study

Figures & data

Table 1 Characteristics of the people with dementia

	People with dementia (n=25)
Sex (male/female)	60%/40%
Age (years)	m=79.4
	SD=8.23
	range=59–94
Diagnosis - Alzheimer’s disease	48%
- Vascular dementia	12%
- Mixed dementia	32%
- Frontotemporal dementia	4%
- Dementia with Lewy bodies	4%
MMSE (score)	m=10.2
	SD=7.10
	range=0–21
Severity of dementia - Mild	16%
- Moderate	36%
- Severe	48%

Abbreviations: n, sample size; m, mean; SD, standard deviation; MMSE, Mini Mental State Examination.

Table 2 Characteristics and burden of caregivers

	Family caregivers (n=25)	Professional caregivers (n=25)	Comparison sample (n=594)^a	Family caregivers versus comparison sample	Family caregivers versus professional caregivers
Sex (male/female)	12%/88%	32%/68%	21%/79%	–	–
Age (years)	m=63.8	m=36.3	m=60.0	t=1.54	t=9.69
	SD=12.18	SD=11.11	SD=11.40	p=0.136	p<0.01*
	range=36–88	range=20–60	range=28–91
Duration of care (years)	m=3.6	m=5.0	m=3.5	t=0.09	t=−1.67
	SD=2.96	SD=3.98	SD=2.70	p=0.929	p=0.109
	range=0.5–10	range=0.3–15
	n=23
Burden due to cognitive impairment (range 0–16)	m=8.12	m=4.72	m=9.11	t=−1.30	t=3.30
	SD=3.82	SD=3.68	SD=4.44	p=0.208	p<0.01*
Burden due to aggressive and disoriented behavior (range 0–20)	m=8.84	m=4.12	m=7.93	t=0.89	t=4.27
	SD=5.10	SD=3.93	SD=5.20	p=0.382	p<0.01*
Burden due to care tasks (range 0–36)	m=16.92	m=16.20	m=26.55	t=−4.51	t=0.30
	SD=10.68	SD=7.92	SD=9.20	p<0.01*	p=0.767
Burden due to personal constraints (range 0–20)	m=11.04	m=9.08	m=12.21	t=−1.55	–
	SD=3.77	SD=3.88	SD=5.15	p=0.134
Burden due to missing social appreciation (range 0–24)	m=7.64	m=9.88	m=10.58	t=−2.81	–
	SD=5.23	SD=4.39	SD=5.22	p=0.010*
Acceptance of caring (range 0–16)^b	m=10.68	m=9.68	m=11.91	t=−1.58	–
	SD=3.90	SD=3.87	SD=3.42	p=0.128

Notes: ^aSample of family caregivers described by Zank et al.^11,16 bDimension is interpreted in a different way, the higher the score, the higher the positive outcome from caregiving. *Statistically significant p-value.

Abbreviations: n, sample size; m, mean; SD, standard deviation.

Table 3 Categorizing family caregivers into risk groups^a

Dimensions of burden	Risk groups	Results of our study (percentage of family caregivers with this sum score)	Calculated risk within the next 9 months^b
Burden due to personal constraints	Depression of the caregiver
• score of 13–18	• high risk	• 44%	• 45%
• score of 19–20	• extremely high risk	• 0%	• 63%
Burden due to aggressive and disoriented behavior	Violence against the person with dementia
• score of 9–14	• high risk	• 52%	• 36%
• score of 15–20	• extremely high risk	• 12%	• 48%
Burden due to cognitive impairment	Institutionalization of the person with dementia
• score of 6–14	• high risk	• 64%	• 13%
• score of 15–16	• extremely high risk	• 8%	• 21%

Notes: ^aBy using the questionnaire BIZA-D-PV. ^bIn a longitudinal study by Schacke and Zank.¹⁶

Zank S, Schacke C, Leipold B. Berliner Inventar zur Angehörigenbelastung – Demenz (BIZA-D) [Berlin inventory on relatives’ burden – dementia (BIZA-D)]. Z Klin Psychol Psychother. 2006;35(1):296–305. German. doi:10.1026/1616-3443.35.4.296

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Schacke C, Zank S. Das Berliner Inventar zur Angehörigenbelastung – Demenz (BIZA-D). Manual für die Praxisversion (BIZA-D-PV). [Berlin Inventory on Relatives’ Burden – Dementia (BIZA-D). Manual for Practice Version (BIZA-D-PV)]. German Siegen: Zentrum für Planung und Evaluation Sozialer Dienste der Universität Siegen; 2009.

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