OBJECTIVES: To develop the Korean version of Disability Assessment for Dementia Scale(DAD-K), an instrument for functional disability for use with proxy-respondents of community-dwelling persons who have Alzheimer`s disease METHOD: Community-dwelling elderly and their caregivers with memory impairment(N=341) participated in this study to evaluate reliabilities and validities of DAD-K. RESULTS: The DAD-K demonstrated a high degree of internal consistency(Cronbach`s alpha=0.88) and excellent interrater(ICC=0.96) and test-retest(ICC=0.96) reliability and good concurrent validity. In addi- tion, it was found not to have age, education and gender bias. CONCLUSION: The DAD-K is valid and reliable instrument in Korean elderly with Alzheimer`s disease, that may help clinicians and caregivers of the population with Alzheimer`s disease make decisions regar- ding the choice of suitable interventions.
Aged ; Caregivers ; Dementia* ; Education ; Humans ; Memory ; Sexism

PURPOSE: This study was to investigate effects of the dementia family education program on dementia recognition, burden, and depression in caregivers of elders with dementia. METHODS: Aquasi-experimental research with a nonequivalent control group non-synchronized pre and post design was used with 52 caregivers of elders with dementia living in D city. Data were collected from August 12 to December 12, 2013. The dementia family education program was provided to the experimental group once a week over 8 weeks, for 90 minutes per session. Data were analyzed using χ² test, Fisher exact probability test, t-test. RESULTS: Experimental group participants who took part in the dementia family education program had higher dementia recognition scores than the control group that did not participate (t=3.79, p<.001). Experimental group participants who took part in the dementia family education program had lower burden and depression scores than the control group that did not participate (t=-2.90, p=.006) (t=-2.22, p=.034). CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that the dementia family education program enhances dementia recognition by caregivers of elders with dementia and lowers burden and depression in these caregivers. Use of the dementia family education program is recommended as an effective nursing intervention for caregivers of elders with dementia.
Caregivers* ; Dementia* ; Depression* ; Education* ; Humans ; Nursing

PURPOSE: This study was done to evaluate the long-term effects of a dementia education program for certified geriatric caregivers (CGCs) caring for elders with dementia in a nursing home. METHODS: The research design was one group pretest-posttest design and included 29 CGCs who completed the pre-test, dementia education program, and post-test (immediately after, 1 month after, and 3 months after the completion of the program). The education program was conducted for 3 weeks, and effects of the program were evaluated using measures of knowledge of dementia, care of elders with dementia, work stress, and work satisfaction. RESULTS: Although there was no significant change in the knowledge of dementia, it was significantly improved immediately after the program (Z=-2.03, p=.042). There was a significant change in the care of elders with dementia by the CGCs (chi2=13.37, p=.004), but no significant changes in work stress or work satisfaction. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that dementia education program is effective in improving knowledge of dementia and care of elders with dementia by CGCs. The results also provide valuable basic data for developing effective dementia education programs for CGCs in nursing homes, but further research is needed using a high quality education programs and research methodology.
Caregivers* ; Dementia* ; Education* ; Humans ; Job Satisfaction ; Nursing Homes* ; Research Design

PURPOSE: This study was done to identify family burden, resilience, spiritual well-being and quality of life of primary caregivers of people with mental illness. METHODS: Participants were 160 primary caregivers of people with mental illness being treated at one of three mental health clinics in Busan. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Scheffe test, Pearson's correlation coefficients and stepwise multiple regression. RESULTS: Quality of life was positively correlated with resilience (r=.55, p=.006), spiritual well-being (r=.41, p<.001), and negatively correlated with family burden (r=-.28, p<.001). Factors influencing quality of life were resilience (β=.36), family monthly income (β=.24), support from others (β=.20) and education (β=.18). The explanatory power of these factors for quality of life of primary caregivers of people with mental illness was 45%. CONCLUSION: Findings indicate that resilience is the most important factor affecting quality of life of primary caregivers of people with mental illness. Therefore, the development of nursing interventions to improve resilience and enhance the quality of life of primary caregivers is necessary.
Busan ; Caregivers* ; Education ; Humans ; Mental Health ; Nursing ; Quality of Life*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was first to identify knowledge about, attitude toward, and educational needs for dementia in certified caregivers; secondly, to understand the relationships among those variables; and thirdly, to provide base-line data for education program development. METHODS: The participants in this study were 670 certified caregivers who were working in nursing homes or care hospitals throughout the whole of the country and engaged in education programs for improvement of their professional abilities. Collected data were analyzed using t-tests, ANOVA, Duncan, and Pearson's correlation coefficients with the SPSS 18.0 for Windows Program. RESULTS: The scores for knowledge about, attitude toward, and educational needs for dementia were 14.12+/-2.83 out of 20, 42.27+/-5.54 out of 50 (item mean 4.22), and 121.51+/-22.13 out of 160 (item mean 3.79) respectively. There were statistically significant positive correlations between knowledge and attitude (r=.238, p<.001), educational needs (r=.083, p=.032), and attitude and educational needs (r=.244, p<.001). CONCLUSION: Tailored and continuous educational programs for certified caregivers that can improve knowledge about the causes and symptoms of dementia should be developed. Nurses and professors who are experts in dementia should be on the front lines of education for caregivers.
Caregivers* ; Dementia* ; Education ; Humans ; Nursing Homes ; Program Development

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate continuously on how a short-term family psychoeducation program for schizophrenia would change the emotional stress and the knowledge of the family members. METHODS: Subjects were the family members who participated in the short-term family psychoeducation program for schizophrenia. The participants were asked to fill out self-reporting forms for 3 times-before commencing the 6-week family education, immediately after completing the program, and 3 months after completing the program respectively. RESULTS: A total of 46 subjects participated, and 20 of them responded to all questionnaires. Three months after the completion of psychoeducation, depression and anxiety subscale score among the General Health Questionnaire-28 decreased by 2.60 (p=0.04) and 2.20 (p=0.04) respectively. In caregiver burden criterion, the score decreased by 9.45 (p=0.04) in 3 months after completing the education. In knowledge about schizophrenia test, the score increased by 2.60 score (p<0.001), and this result was maintained after 3 months. CONCLUSION: It was found that a short-term family education program for schizophrenia was effective not only in improving the knowledge on the disease but also in reducing anxiety and depression, and this effect was maintained immediately after the psychoeducation and so was it as time passed as well.
Anxiety ; Caregivers ; Depression ; Education ; Humans ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Schizophrenia* ; Stress, Psychological

BACKGROUND: The role of family caregivers is becoming more important for the recovery of patients with stroke, as the prevalence of stroke is increasing. Consequently, the burden of caregiving can affect both patients' and caregiver's functional health. The purpose of this study was to make a novel caregiving burden scale and evaluate factors that influence the burden of the family caregiver. METHODS: The caregiver burden scale consists of four aspects: psycho-emotional, financial, physical and isolation from social activities. The questionnaire was administrated to the family care-givers of 118 patients with stroke who consented to be interviewed. Among 118 caregivers, we analyzed 106 caregivers who answered the questionnaire completely. We evaluated the construct validity and internal reliability of the burden scale and applied multiple regression analysis for the factors that influence caregiver's burden. RESULTS:1) Construct validity by factor analysis and Internal reliability was high 2) Among 106 caregivers, 40 (37.7%) approached subjective depression on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). There was a statistically significant difference(p<0.01) in the strength of burden between the groups with and without depression. 3)Of the variables, including patient's age, caregiver's age, duration of caregiving, education level of caregiver, and socio-economic status of family, only the BDI scores of caregivers and the Barthel Index scores of patients were correlated to the degree of caregiving burden. CONCLUSIONS: This caregiving burden scale can be a useful tool for the evaluation of caregiver's burden with stroke. We believe that thoughtful consideration and realistic support for family caregivers can be very important in the long-term management of patients with stroke. (J Korean Neurol Assoc 19(3):213~218, 2001)
Caregivers ; Depression ; Education ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Stroke*

BACKGROUND: The neuropsychiatric derangements in dementing patients are common and troublesome in their managements. The purpose of this study is to compare the behavioral changes in patients with subcortical vascular dementia (SVaD) and to those in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) by using the Korean version of the neuropsychiatric inventory (K-NPI). METHODS: The K-NPI was administrated to the close caregivers of 19 patients with AD (who met the criteria of the NINCDS-ADRDA for probable AD) and 14 patients with SvaD (who met the criteria of the NINDS-AIREN criteria for probable or possible VaD). Groups were matched for age, education and dementia severity. We evaluated the prevalence, the composite score (frequency X severity) of each behavioral domain in K-NPI between two groups. RESULTS: The most common behavioral disturbances were anxiety (63%) in AD and apathy/indifference (93%) in SVaD. Patients with SVaD had significantly greater total K-NPI scores than patients with AD and exhibited apathy/indifference, agitation/aggression and anxiety more frequently. Composite score of apathy/indifference over 4.7 point discriminates between AD and SVaD with accuracy of 75.8%. CONCLUSIONS: The K-NPI provides behavioral profiles that differentiate patients with SVaD from patients with AD. Patients with SVaD are more behaviorally disturbed. Clinicians need to pay more attention to the behavioral disturbances when managing the patients with SVaD.
Alzheimer Disease* ; Anxiety ; Caregivers ; Dementia ; Dementia, Vascular* ; Education ; Humans ; Prevalence

PURPOSE: This study attempted to identify the effectiveness and substantiality of a dementia education program for family caregivers of the demented elderly. METHODS: This quasi-experimental study using a nonequivalent control pretest-posttest design was carried out from April 15 to July 29 in 2012 with 137 subjects divided into an experimental group (n=70) and a control group (n=67). This study examined the subjects' general characteristics, and evaluated their nursing method four times, respectively, before the intervention, right after the intervention, and 2 and 4 weeks after the intervention, and then analyzed collected data through t-test and chi2-test. RESULTS: In the experimental group that had received the dementia education, the nursing method score was significantly higher right after the intervention (t=8.33, p<.001) and 2 weeks after the intervention (t=8.01, p<.001) than before the intervention, but their score 4 weeks after the intervention was not significantly different from that of the control group (t=1.08, p=.28). CONCLUSION: The dementia education was found to be effective in improving the nursing method of family caregivers of the demented elderly. This study implies that further follow-up dementia education is necessary between 2 and 4 weeks to maintain the effectiveness.
Aged* ; Caregivers* ; Dementia* ; Education* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Nursing*

The population of the elderly and neuropsychiatric elderly patients increases radically, but realistic management in the welfare and medical dimensions are not adequate. Especially, the treatment and care for the neuropsychiatric geriatric patients have not been achieved properly for the lack of good medical facilities and heavy economic burden. Therefore, this paper will propose a model of specialized neuropsychiatric geriatric hospital suited to our reality for the welfare of the elderly themselves and their families. For this, we investigated the needs of medical consumers through surveys. Our subjects are 41 families of neuropsychiatric elderly patients in admission and 51 caregivers. In these surveys, patrons expect the establishment of specialized geriatric hospital proper to the characteristics of neuropsychiatric elderly patients. In addition, they hope patients adminssion fee to be reduced as difficulty and specialty of neuropsychiatric geriatric patient treatment are actively applied to the medical insurance fee and national support system. According to our examination of the caregeivers for the neuropsychiatric elderly patients, caregivers didn't receive systematized training, but only brief care-giving education. Their status is also unstable and their pay is low. These issues are very important for the quality of care-giving work. Therefore, specialized neuropsychiatric geriatric hospitals should be established properly to our social reality and request, and national and social supports for the training and education of medical staffs and quite necessary.
Aged* ; Caregivers ; Education ; Fees and Charges ; Hope ; Humans ; Insurance ; Medical Staff