Relationship between Caregiver Burden and Demographic Characteristics in Caregivers of Alzheimer's Elderly

Caring for Alzheimer's Elderly Caregivers Due to numerous cognitive impairments, it can lead to the exacerbation or exacerbation of many physical and psychological problems for caregivers. The purpose of this study was to determine the burden of caregiver burden on Alzheimer's elderly caregivers and its relationship with demographic characteristics.

In this cross-sectional study, 315 elderly caregivers were selected at the Alzheimer’s disease's Association of Iran located in Tehran by convenience sampling method. Data were collected using demographic questionnaires and caregiver burden. Descriptive and inferential statistics such as mean and standard deviation and ANOVA and Test were used for data analysis in SPSS 22.

The mean and standard deviation of the total score of caregiver burden was 39.06  ±21.07. Caregivers withstood the most burden in time-dependent burden (13.86±6.01) and experienced the least burden in social burden (5.27±4.39). There was a significant difference between the total score of care burden by gender, duration of care for the elderly with Alzheimer's disease, cargiver age, caregiver-to-elderly ratio, degree of Alzheimer's, income status (p <0.05). Marital status of caregivers and their education were not significantly different (p >0.05).

Based on the findings of this study, intermediate-level caregivers withstood the burden of care. Elderly age, day care for the elderly with Alzheimer's disease, female gender, income status, Alzheimer's degree were associated with stress load. Social support planning for elderly caregivers with Alzheimer's should be considered by health and treatment policy makers.