Burden Reduction of Informal Carers of Persons with Dementia related to Alzheimer’s Disease: A Systematic Review of Effective Interventions

Marta Nemciková, Zuzana Katreniakova, Patricia Dobrikova, Iveta Nagyova

Abstract:

OBJECTIVES: The aim is to reveal the current research findings on effective psychosocial interventions reducing the burden of informal home carers of people with dementia related to Alzheimer’s disease (DAD). THEORETICAL BASE: Caring for a family member with DAD may leave insufficient space for the carers’ attention to the burden factors limiting their own health, social life, and socio-economic status. The burden is viewed in accordance with a stress assessment conceptual model. The key principles of care for informal carers are identified from the perspective of ecosystem theory. METHODS: A systematic review was done on studies about the effectiveness of interventions on the burden of informal carers of people with DAD published in the databases of PubMed, Science Direct, WoS Current Contents Connect and WoS Core Collection from 2015 to April 2020. The final mapping took place in four areas in accordance with the PICO model. OUTCOMES: After abstract screening, 77 out of 4,920 studies remained, of which 8 of the most relevant were selected. The identified strategies involved psychoeducation, education, telephone and internet interventions, counselling, support groups and a formal approach to caring for carers. SOCIAL WORK IMPLICATION: The findings can be used in social work practice to provide effective, evidence-based psychosocial support interventions to informal carers of people with DAD.

Keywords:

carer burden, dementia, informal carers, social support, interventions

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