Sociodemographic profile and quality of life of caregivers of elderly people with dementia

Abstract

Abstract Objective: To analyze the association between sociodemographic profile, health profile and the quality of life of caregivers of elderly people diagnosed with dementia. Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out in a geriatric outpatient unit with 35 elderly caregivers diagnosed with dementia. A socio-demographic and health characterization form was used as well as the WHOQOL-bref scale. To verify the association of the variables, the Spearman or Pearson correlation tests were applied, according to the normality of the data. Results: A moderate association between caregiver age and quality of life was found, as well as between total time of care and quality of life, which reveals that the care provided to the elderly with dementia has repercussions on the quality of life. The domains of the WHOQOL-bref with the highest means were Social and Physical Relations, and those with lower mean values were Psychological and Environmental. Conclusion: The identification of conditions that influence the quality of life of caregivers of elderly people with dementia allows actions to promote, protect and recover the health and well-being of those who provide care to be established, so that this care is both for themselves and for the elderly.