Problems and expectations of caregivers of patients with dementia

Background: Patients with dementia (PwD) are primarily cared by a family member or their relatives in India. In managing these patients they often face a number of problems during care and sometimes they do not have any knowledge or understanding of the problems, so problems remain unattended. Objectives: Present study aimed to find out the problems faced by caregivers of dementia patients and management strategies evolved by themselves vis a vis training needs. Methods: The primary caregivers to patients with dementia admitted to the Department of Geriatric Mental Health giving consent were interviewed using a semi-structured proforma. Information regarding sociodemographic details, caregiver tasks, problems in performing care giving tasks and their own management techniques vis a vis need for training in managing the patients were gathered. Results & Discussions: A total of 21 caregivers of patients with dementia consented to participating in the study. They reported that they often confronted with a variety of problems in managing activities of daily living (ADL), and behavioral and psychological/emotional spheres of the patients during care giving. Managing toileting, bathing, feeding and dressing were the main problem areas. Caregivers depended on the management strategies evolved by themselves for providing support and managing day to day difficulties faced during care giving. The majority of the caregivers acknowledged the need for structured skills training for managing patients with dementia.