Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and dementia are highly prevalent worldwide. People who suffer from these disorders often receive in-home care and assistance from family members, who must dedicate a considerable amount of time to the care recipient. The study of family caregivers' psychosocial adjustment to the degenerative processes of both conditions is of interest due to the implications for the quality of life of both the care receiver and the caregiver, as well as other family members. This study compares the psychosocial adjustment of family members who care for people with dementia and Parkinson's disease and identifies the main sociodemographic variables that affect the processes of adjustment to both conditions. To this end, the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale (PAIS-SR) and a sociodemographic form were administered to 157 family caregivers in Navarre, Spain. The results show that adjustment to the disease in family caregivers of people with Parkinson's disease and dementia is, in general, satisfactory and related to variables such as place of residence, income, and employment status. The illness itself (Parkinson's or dementia), however, is found to be the most influential variable in the level of psychosocial adjustment.
Highlights
Processes of adjustment to neurodegenerative conditions in individuals and their caregivers have been the object of study in recent decades [1,2,3], as the manner in which both the individual and the family cope and their perceived wellbeing will depend on how they adjust to the new situation
Erefore, the objective of this study is to compare the psychosocial adjustment of family caregivers of people with dementia (PWD) and people with Parkinson’s (PWP) and to determine the factors that significantly affect their processes of adjustment to both diseases
35.7% of the caregivers worked and, of those who did not, most were retired. e majority lived in urban areas and only a few in rural areas. e standard deviation (SD) of years of care was 6.7
Summary
Processes of adjustment to neurodegenerative conditions in individuals and their caregivers have been the object of study in recent decades [1,2,3], as the manner in which both the individual and the family cope and their perceived wellbeing will depend on how they adjust to the new situation. E recent report on noncommunicable diseases published by the World Health Organization [11] recognizes that neurodegenerative diseases are one of the major health challenges worldwide, especially dementias and Parkinson’s disease. Due to their enormous impact on the population, there has been increasing interest and concern about these diseases. It has been estimated that between 60% and 80% of home care is informal [18] and that those with the disease live with their caregivers. It has been estimated that between 60% and 80% of home care is informal [18] and that those with the disease live with their caregivers. ese informal caregivers, mostly women, provide nonprofessional assistance and care to dependent persons. ese studies have found that those suffering from the disease and their caregivers prefer to remain at home and highlight the importance of in-home care
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