The effect of patient sleep disorder and other factors on the Distress Tolerance Scale in caregivers of severe bedridden Alzheimer patients.

Abstract

Introduction: This study investigates whether the ability to tolerate distress decreases in caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease who also experience sleep disturbances.

Materials and methods: Fifty patients and their caregivers, who were hospitalised with a diagnosis of severe Alzheimer's disease and were bedridden, were included in the study. The caregivers of the patients completed the Jenkins Sleep Scale to assess the patients' sleep disturbances, and the Distress Tolerance Scale was administered to measure the caregivers' distress tolerance.

Results: A significant difference was observed between patients' sleep disturbance duration for 'Trouble falling asleep', 'Waking up and trouble falling asleep again', and caregivers' Distress Tolerance Scale questions 9 and 13. A negative correlation was found between caregivers' age and question 11 on the Distress Tolerance Scale.

Conclusion: The distress tolerance of caregivers of patients with severe Alzheimer's disease and sleep disturbances is negatively affected by the sleep disturbances of the patients and the caregivers' gender, with male caregivers reporting lower distress tolerance.