Relationship between Care Burden and Psychological Resilience among Family Caregivers of Patients with Dementia

Abstract

Background: Dementia is a serious disease that involves progressive losses of cognition, memory, and social function. The burden of dementia is not limited to patients, it also affects psychological resilience among family caregivers as well as increase their burden. This study was aimed to: assess the relationship between Care burden and Psychological resilience among family caregivers of Patients with Dementia. Design: descriptive explorative research design was utilized in this study. Subjects and Methods: This study was conducted on 100 family caregivers of patients with dementia at a memory clinic at the institute Al Yassin Specialized Medical Hospital affiliated to the Al-Baqiyat Al-Salihat Foundation. Data collection Tools: data were collected through three tools; Interview questionnaire, Burden interview scale, Caregiver Resilience Scale. Results: showed that more than two-fifths of the studied family caregivers had severe levels of burden and the most affected domain is an overall domain, more than one one-third of the studied family caregivers’ moderate level of the total burden. While less than one quarter of them had a mild level of total burden. Also, more than four-fifths of the studied family caregivers had Moderate levels of Psychological Resilience and the most affected domain is the moral competence domain. While eight of them had high levels of Psychological Resilience and only four of the studied family caregivers of patients with dementia had mild levels of Psychological Resilience. Also, there was a highly significant negative correlation between caregiver psychological resilience and their burden levels among family caregivers of patients with dementia. Conclusion: The study concluded that the studied family caregivers had a severe level of burden. While most of them had moderate levels of Psychological Resilience. Recommendations: Establishment of a counseling program for family caregivers of patients with dementia to improve psychosocial wellbeing, psychological resilience and reduce the feeling of care burden.