Die häusliche Situation eines Ehepaares Challenges in dementia care at home - The situation at home of a married couple

Background: People with dementia and their relatives are faced with major challenges due to complex dementia symptoms. Families need information and counselling in order to find adequate dementia care services tailored to their needs. Aim: This case report's objective is to exemplify the domestic situation of a married couple who is faced with significant challenges within the family and the care system due to the husband's dementia and Parkinson's disease. Methods: The Dementia Care Nurse project included case monitoring; by means of different assessments relevant information was recorded and the family's situation described. Results: The family's problems and their need for support were multifaceted and entailed reimbursement of costs, application for care services as well as management of challenging behaviours and reduction of the caregiver's psychosocial burden. Conclusions: The family, particularly the spouse caregiver, was effectively supported in meeting the challenges of dementia, e. g. by drawing on professional services and sorting out entitlement to benefits. From the perspective of the experience in the project, independent counselling structures such as a case management approach are indispenable in order to stabilise the domestic situation.