Psychological Burden and Communication Challenges Among Relatives of Older Patients With Dementia-A Cross-Sectional Study in an Acute Psychiatric Hospital.

Abstract

Research on the relatives' well-being during the critical time point when their family member is hospitalized in an acute psychiatric hospital is still lacking. Therefore, we investigated psychological well-being, care-related burden, and communication challenges of 67 relatives of older patients with dementia (RPwD) versus 60 relatives of older patients with a psychiatric disorder (RPP) at the time of hospitalization. RPwD reported significantly higher levels of depression and care-related burden compared to RPP (there was a similar non-significant trend for anxiety). RPwD reported more communication problems with the patients, while they appeared more satisfied regarding the communication with the clinical staff. Both groups reported similar levels of stress and resilience. The present study extends previous findings demonstrating that taking care of an older relative with dementia, but also with a psychiatric disorder, is a great burden. Professional support to maintain the well-being of relatives of older patients is recommended.