Quality of life: dementia caregiver experience

The current study sought to identify the perceived burden and quality of life (QoL) factors indicative of high burden and burnout in Australian informal carers of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, and which may result in the need to institutionalise the care recipient. Additionally, a comprehensive measure to identify highly burdened carers was developed, and a conceptual model of AD caregiver burden proposed. Caregivers completed a survey detailing carer and care recipient characteristics and context, perceived health of the carer, relationship dyad, carer levels of social support and formal resources, respite and recreation, carer attitudes and beliefs, religion/spirituality, and unmet needs. Carers who self-reported being highly burdened identified several stressors resulting in high perceived burden and reduced QoL. Half of the carers reported the need to institutionalise their care recipients. Interventions that address these pressures may improve the well-being of carers, the quality of care their patients receive, and may also delay or eliminate the need for institutionalisation of AD care recipients