Abstract
The number of family caregivers to individuals with dementia is increasing. Family physicians are often the first point of access to the health care system for individuals with dementia and their caregivers. Caregivers are at an increased risk of developing negative physical, cognitive and affective health problems themselves. Caregivers also describe having unmet needs to help them sustain care in the community. Family physicians are in a unique position to help support caregivers and individuals with dementia, but often struggle with keeping up with best practice dementia service knowledge. The Dementia Wellness Questionnaire was designed to serve as a starting point for discussions between caregivers and family physicians by empowering caregivers to communicate their needs and concerns and to enhance family physicians’ access to specific dementia support information. The DWQ aims to alert physicians of caregiver and patient needs. This pilot study aimed to explore the experiences of physicians and caregivers of people using the Questionnaire in two family medicine clinics in Ontario, Canada. Interviews with physicians and caregivers collected data on their experiences using the DWQ following a 10-month data gathering period. Data was analyzed using content analysis. Results indicated that family physicians may have an improved efficacy in managing dementia by having dementia care case specific guidelines integrated within electronic medical records. By having time-efficient access to tailored supports, family physicians can better address the needs of the caregiver–patient dyad and help support family caregivers in their caregiving role. Caregivers expressed that the Questionnaire helped them remember concerns to bring up with physicians, in order to receive help in a more efficient manner.
Highlights
Due to the complex cognitive and physical changes that occur in persons living with dementia (PWD), individuals with the condition often rely on family caregivers to support them with their activities of daily living [3,4,5]
Our findings suggest that the Dementia Wellness Questionnaire (DWQ) was developed to enhance dementia care in primary care by efficiently integrating the concerns of caregivers within the physician’s existing electronic medical records (EMRs)
We found that caregivers had no difficulty in using it and FPs believed that using the DWQ in practice helped them save time and allowed them to provide tailored resources to caregivers of persons with dementia, that may help them sustain their caregiving roles
Summary
Due to the complex cognitive and physical changes that occur in persons living with dementia (PWD), individuals with the condition often rely on family caregivers (caregivers) to support them with their activities of daily living [3,4,5]. Caring for a PWD has significant, negative implications for caregivers’ health and well-being [6]. Seminal research has found that in comparison to caregivers of individuals with other chronic conditions, caregivers to PWD experience greater impacts on their employment, strain, mental and physical health and family dynamics [7]. Caregivers to individuals with PWD report needs that are unmet by healthcare professionals compared to other family caregivers, that in turn may impact their physical and mental health [8,9].
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