The Reality of Services for Families with Demented Elderly People

Han, Eun Joo; Jung, Han Yong; Lee, Kang Joon

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study was to look into caregivers who took care of their demented elderly family members in an effort to find out what types of services they actually called for and how to make a diagnosis of demented elderly people, provide treatment to them and make an intervention for their families at the same time.
METHODS
The subjects in this study were 61 psychiatrists, neurologists and rehabilitation doctors who were in charge of demented elderly people, and they were members of the Korean Geriatrics Society and Korean Association for Geriatric Psychiatry.
RESULTS
As for interest in helping caregivers for demented elderly people get rid of their stress, 45.9 percent (28 doctors) of the medical personnels investigated answered they tended to have lots of interest in that. To get them to dispel their stress, they conducted education (13 doctors), offered supportive treatment and encouragement (24 doctors) or provide mental treatment and encouragement (24 doctors) or provide mental treatment or medication if necessary (8 doctors).
CONCLUSION
Medical intervention should be carried out to alleviate the behavioral and psychological symptoms of the elderly with dementia to help their caregivers not to be under pressure. Their stress should be managed in a systematic manner according to the dementia grade of patients they look after. A sort of one-stop service network should be built to lend assistance to main caregivers, and the government should set up a family support policy for them.