Interrelazione demente-caregiver: nostra esperineza di valutazione

fntrodtrctiorr. Dementia is a disease that extends to involve the rvhole famill'. Our study investigates the influence that patient's cognitive status ma1, have olr the subjectirc caregiver Lrurden and the relationship betn'een this burden and the overall functional impairnrent on the actiuities of daily living. Metbods.A t€st t atterli consisting of )Iini Mental State Examination,Activities of Daily Living, lnstrumental Actirities of Daily Living and Caregiver Burden Inventor)', §'as administered to a sample of 62 caregiver-patient pairs. Results. Data sho*' that the care of patients rvith dementia involves a rvorkload that each f,arnily feels differentl-r'. In our sample, the greatest difficulties reported b.v caregivers relate the objective burden rvhile Iittle concern in other areas flrar' highlight the difficulq' of fulll' appreciating their caregir.er state. Cohabitation betrveen caregiver and patient do not appear to impact the perceived burden. There l1'as a strong association bets'een the severiq' of cognitive deterioration of the patient and the objective, social and emotional burden of the caregiver.