scholarly journals Virtual Support in Dementia: A Possible Viable Strategy for Caregivers

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ceres Ferretti ◽  
Ricardo Nitrini ◽  
Sonia M. D. Brucki

Background: In the last 10 months, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, several studies have shown that health education and virtual support strategies for caregivers of patients with dementia, in the management of home care, can be viable. Low and middle income countries, in particular, have sought to use these means to reduce the daily burden of caregivers, through virtual meetings of education and support.Objectives: To present the feasibility of a pilot study on the use of a support action contemplated by the Caad Project–indirect costs of dementia–from HC-FMUSP.Methods: Observational study in which 93 caregivers were invited to participate in virtual meetings on a frequency of three times/week, lasting 1 h each.Results: Of the 93 invited family members, and after 3 months, 42 answered eight questions about the effectiveness of the action. High percentages of positive responses regarding program satisfaction ranged from 86 to 100%.Conclusion: This study showed results of a very simple intervention that suggests that it is possible to offer caregivers of patients with dementia a program that can be used in primary care, in order to understand the difficulty of caregivers in their daily care of patients with dementia, with daily management guidelines on a case-by-case basis, in addition to promoting the implementation of an education strategy about the importance of knowing, and recognizing anatomophysiological changes in the aging process and its implications for the rupture of the imaginary line that involves senescence and senility. This allows the caregiver to feel able to protect his patient and himself by preventing the emergence of common diseases in this age group. Further studies are needed to explore this type of non-pharmacological support.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ceres Ferretti ◽  
Ricardo Nitrini ◽  
Sonia Brucki

Background: In the last 10 months, amid the Covid-19 pandemic, several studies have demonstrated the viability of health education and virtual support strategies for caregivers of dementia patients to provide home care. Low and middle-income countries in particular, have sought to use these approaches to reduce the daily burden of caregivers, through virtual meetings providing education and support. Objectives: To present the feasibility of a pilot study on the use of a care support action under the CAAD Project - indirect costs of dementia – run by the HC-FMUSP. Methods: An observational study of 93 caregivers invited to participate in virtual 1-hour meetings three times a week was conducted. Results: Of the 93 family members who took part, 42 answered the eight questions about the effectiveness of the action after 3 months. The rate of positive responses for program satisfaction was high, ranging from 86% to 100%. Conclusion: The study results of this simple intervention suggest the utility of the program for caregivers of dementia patients in primary care. The intervention can provide a better understanding of difficulties faced by caregivers in their daily care of dementia patients and daily management guidance on a case-by-case basis. The program also promoted the implementation of an education strategy on the importance of understanding and recognizing anatomical-physiological changes in the aging process and their implications for the invisible line between senescence and senility. This process empowers the caregiver to feel able to protect both the patient and themselves by preventing the emergence of common diseases in this age group. Further studies are needed to explore this non-pharmacological support approach.


Depression ◽  
2018 ◽  
pp. 3-10
Author(s):  
Raymond W. Lam

Depression is a common condition with a lifetime prevalence of about 15%. People with depression experience significant impairment in psychosocial functioning, particularly in those with a recurrent or chronic course. Depression is now the leading cause of years lived with disability worldwide. Depression is also associated with increased risk of developing a medical illness and an increased risk of overall mortality, even when deaths from suicide are excluded. The economic costs of depression are staggering, largely owing to indirect costs associated with occupational impairment leading to work absence and reduced productivity. Depression remains undertreated, particularly in lower- and middle-income countries, but the World Health Organization has estimated that scaling up of depression treatment returns US$5 for every US$1 spent.


2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joop de Jong ◽  
Mark Jordans ◽  
Ivan Komproe ◽  
Robert Macy ◽  
Aline & Herman Ndayisaba ◽  
...  

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document