癡매老人 扶養家族의 스트레스와 對處方案에 대한 考察

Abstract

The stress and the ordeal facing the families supporting the dementia patients is not confined to them, rather it is a problem in waiting for the society with the graying demographics. It can get down to our own personal problem, as we get older. For this research, the families who have dementia patients at the treatment centers and the families living with someone who has dementia have been extensively interviewed. Based on the interview result, this research will define the stress on the family and things they can do to help their beloved member of family. The largest percentage of caregivers to the dementia patients is in the 30s, making up 50% of the interviewees or 6 people. People in their 40s accounted for approximately 33% or 4 people. Two people are in 50s. The total number of interviewees is 12. Two of them have the university degrees; nine are high school graduates; one is middle school graduate. All of them are married with children. Half of them are full-time housewives. Four of them are self-employed. One is a banker and other works at a company. One is from high-income family; two people are from mid-high income family; 6 people are from middle income; two are on mid-lower income and one person is on lower income. Six of them are in good health; three of them are rather weak; one is suffering from gastroenteritis; one has back pain; one has the family who has the history of seeing psychiatrists. 5 out of 12 dementia patients are visiting the treatment centers twice or more a month. If a caregiver is a daughter or a spouse of the patients, they prefer provide care at home to letting them under the supervision of the treatment center. Ten patients are women and two patients are men. Seven of the primary caregivers are patients sister-in-laws; three of them are patients daughters; one is a spouse and the other is a granddaughter-in-law. Four patients are in their early 60s; five are in their 70s; two are in their 80s and one is in their 90s. Patients in their 60s begun to develop the decease in their 60s. The decease has persisted for 2 to 10 years, since the initial diagnosis. The patients have hard time going about daily routines and need to be supported by others. The communicative interaction with others is extremely difficult. According to the Karasawas clinical standard, the patients surveyed are in the mid to severe state and nobody is in mild state. Seven patients cannot go about daily routines of their own or cannot communicate with others. The five is in the mid-level. The agitation coming with dementia causes the caregiver a lot of stress. The caregivers displayed diverse reactions to the same situation, depending on their health, individuality and their profession. The support from other family members gives a huge boost to the primary caregivers. The caregivers take courage from the compliments or encouraging words and they would agree to others suggestion that they should put the patients to institutions. However, the situation becomes stressful for them, because they are concerned that this will be humiliating for the family. The caregivers face a number of problems that cause stress including the limited social activity, the cultural assumption that the responsibility of taking care of mother-in-law must fall on daughter-in-laws, no end in sight for the care, caregivers children who lack respect for elderly because of the bad images of agitating elders, losing the connection with people, disagreements over sharing responsibility among families and the relationships between patients and the caregiver. A person was taking care of her patient father and her mother-in-law at the same time. The other person was attending two mothers-in-law. The stress develops into no or lack of acknowledgement, confrontational or opportunistic acknowledgement. The caregivers understanding or knowledge about dementia is inaccurate and subjective. They are often late to detect the symptoms. The relationship dictates the caregivers way of attending the patients. The daughters-in-law tend to be emotional; daughters are more of a troubleshooter; a spouse alternates between two approaches at random. This research offers some suggestions for more effective treatment of dementia patients: Firstly, there should be more information available in our society. Secondly, the dementia patients should be reported and registered. Thirdly, an exclusive daycare must be set up for dementia patients. Fourthly, education and the training of the personals is crucial to easing the burden to caregivers.