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Yoon, Shim, Kim, Lee, Na, Hong, and Yang: Who Takes Care of Patients with Dementia in Korea: A Study on the Present State of Patients with Dementia Living Alone and Primary Caregivers
Original Article
Dementia and Neurocognitive Disorders

Dementia and Neurocognitive Disorders 2012; 11(1): 13-17.

Published online: 31 March 2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.12779/dnd.2012.11.1.13

Who Takes Care of Patients with Dementia in Korea: A Study on the Present State of Patients with Dementia Living Alone and Primary Caregivers

Bora Yoon, M.D.*, Yong S. Shim, M.D.†, Yong-Duk Kim, M.D.*, Kee Ook Lee, M.D.*, Sang-Jun Na, M.D.*, Yun-Jeong Hong, M.D.†, Dong-Won Yang, M.D.†

*Department of Neurology, Konyang University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea.

†Department of Neurology, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Address for correspondence: Dong-Won Yang, M.D. Department of Neurology, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, 505 Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul 137-701, Korea. Tel: +82-2-2258-6077, Fax: +82-2-599-9686, neuroman@catholic.ac.kr

Received 8 November 2011       Revised 21 February 2012       Accepted 21 February 2012

Copyright© 2012 Korean Dementia Association

Abstract

Background

Cultural characteristics of taking care of patients with dementia in Korea are based on the influence of Confucianism on the lifestyle of Koreans. In addition, as the family size has been getting smaller, the number of old persons who live alone has been increasing. The purpose of this study is to examine the proportion of the elderly with dementia who live alone and demographics of caregivers when such patients live with their family.

Methods

From the multiple hospital-based cohort, 973 elderly patients with very mild dementia (Clinical Dementia Rating [CDR]=0.5), 1,056 patients with mild dementia (CDR=1) and 359 patients with moderate dementia (CDR=2) were recruited. We analyzed the proportion of the patients with dementia who live alone and the demographics of the caregivers if such patients live with and are taken care of by such caregivers depending upon the severity of dementia.

Results

The proportion of the patients with dementia who live alone accounts for about 40% of all elderly patients with dementia. Major age groups of caregivers are of 40s and 50s. Sons, daughters, and spouses were ranked in the said order in the proportion of caregivers according to their relationship to patients.

Conclusions

Up to now, family members care for about 60% of elderly patients with dementia, which may suggest that from the objective viewpoint, direct burden borne by caregivers for old patients with dementia would be considerably high. On the other hand, about 40% of dementia patients live alone, implying that the social care system is needed for them.

Keywords: Caregiver, Dementia, Demographics

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1
Age distribution of caregivers according to CDR. Blue box represents CDR 0.5, red one CDR 1 and green one CDR 2.
dnd-11-13-g001
Fig. 2
The types of caregivers of total patients with dementia (A) and the types of caregivers depending on CDR (B).
dnd-11-13-g002
Table 1
Clinical characteristics of dementia patients according to CDR
dnd-11-13-i001

CDR, Clinical Dementia Rating; KDSQ, Korean Dementia Screening Questionnaire; BADL, Barthel Activities of Daily Living; S-IADL, Seoul Instrumental Activities of Daily Living; -C, current performance; -P, potential performance; K-MMSE, Korean version Mini-Mental State Examination; HIS, Hachinski ischemic score; GDS, Geriatric Depression Scale; NPI, Neuropsychiatric Inventory.

Table 2
Clinical characteristics of dementia patients depending on living alone/together
dnd-11-13-i002

CDR, Clinical Dementia Rating; KDSQ, Korean Dementia Screening Questionnaire; BADL, Barthel Activities of Daily Living; S-IADL, Seoul Instrumental Activities of Daily Living; -C, current performance; -P, potential performance; K-MMSE, Korean version Mini-Mental State Examination; HIS, Hachinski Ischemic Score; GDS, Geriatric Depression Scale; NPI, Neuropsychiatric Inventory.

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