Assessment of the mental health of carers according to the stage of patients with diagnosis of Alzheimer-type dementia

In this study, the aims were to assess the mental health state of carers for patients with Alzheimer-type dementia (AD) according to stage of disease and to collect data with the aim of determining precautions to reduce the load of the patient and disease on the carer. The study included 120 patients with stages determined, according to the clinical dementia rating scale (CDR), and 120 patient relatives above the age of 18 who cared for these patients every day, for the whole day or part of the day, and who accepted participation in the research. This prospective and cross-sectional study performed a detailed neurological examination of patients, and after completing the “personal information form” with the interviewer, each patient had CDR and mini-mental test (MMSE) applied to determine stage of dementia and physical state. Carers first completed the “personal information form” and then had the short symptom inventory (SSI) applied. According to the stage of patients, there were significant differences determined in the points for all sub-scales belonging to the SSI of carers. As the disease stage increased, all sub-scale points for the SSI increased. With the transition of disease stages from 0.5–1 to stage 2, from stage 2 to 3, and with the inverse reduction in MMT scores, the points obtained by carers on the SSI sub-scales increased. This data shows that with progressing disease stage, the load on the carer increases and mental health begins to dysfunction.