Caregivers' education decreases depression symptoms and burden in caregivers of patients with dementia.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether providing education to caregivers of patients with dementia decreases their depression symptoms and burden. METHODS: Eighty-three outpatients with dementia being treated at the Memory Clinic of Tokyo Medical University Hospital and their caregivers were enrolled. Forty-seven caregivers were enrolled in the caregivers' education (EDU) group and 36 were enrolled in the control (CTL) group. Caregivers were assessed for depression, burden, and quality of life (QoL). Patients were assessed for cognition, psychological symptoms, and QoL. Assessments were carried out at baseline and at 3 months (3M). Caregivers in the EDU group received lectures on symptoms and progression of dementia, management of symptoms, use of social resources etc. RESULTS: At 3M, prevalence of depression symptoms in the EDU group significantly decreased from 36% to 17%, whereas it significantly increased from 22% to 50% in the CTL group. Depression and burden were significantly improved at 3M in the EDU group, whereas they significantly worsened in the CTL group. Psychological symptoms showed a lower tendency at 3M for the EDU group. No significant changes in QoL of caregivers and patients were found in either group. CONCLUSIONS: Providing education to caregivers of patients with dementia improves their depression symptoms and sense of burden, and tends to improve the behaviour and psychological symptoms of dementia in the patients. Providing education to caregivers of dementia patients may hence result in beneficial effects for both the patients and their caregivers, and should be widely used in dementia care.

Geriatric problems correlated with cognitive decline using a screening test named "Dr. SUPERMAN" for comprehensive geriatric assessment in elderly inpatients.

AIM: We have recently developed and validated a screening test for comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA). We investigated the prevalence of geriatric problems in elderly inpatients using CGA, and determined the relationship between geriatric problems and cognitive decline. METHODS: We enrolled consecutive elderly inpatients aged >65 years who were admitted to all of the hospital departments at Tokyo Medical University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan, between July and December 2013. We investigated the prevalence of specific geriatric problems or situations in elderly inpatients using a screening test for CGA named "Dr. SUPERMAN." We examined 3969 elderly inpatients (2211 men and 1758 women; mean age 75.5 ± 6.7 years) using CGA. Inpatients were divided into three groups by age, namely, 65-74 years, 75-84 years and ≥85 years. Inpatients were divided into the two groups of "internal medicine" and "other departments." RESULTS: Geriatric problems were more frequently found in patients who were aged ≥85 years and admitted to "internal medicine" departments. Furthermore, multiple regression analysis found cognitive decline significantly correlated with ADL decline, age, poor medication adherence, upper and lower extremity function disorder, visual/auditory disorder, and urinary disorder. In particular, cognitive decline strongly correlated with a decline in activities of daily living. CONCLUSIONS: CGA should be considered for the treatment of elderly inpatients, particularly those with cognitive decline and admitted to "internal medicine" departments. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 1252-1256.