Mental health of caregivers of elderly people with dementia: an integrative literature review

Abstract

Objective: To analyze a section of the national scientific production about the mental health of caregivers of elderly people with dementia. Methods: This is an integrative literature review carried out using the descriptors: Caregivers; Elderly health; Alzheimers disease; Dementia; Mental health. Data collection was carried out in June 2018; 15 scientific articles were selected, obtained from the Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences and Nursing Database. Results: The female gender predominated in 13 (86.7%) studies. The difficulties frequently reported by caregivers are: total dependence on the elderly in activities of daily living, changes in mood and behavior, difficulty in recognizing people / places, insomnia and disorientation. Final considerations: Caregivers are highly vulnerable to mental illness related to overload, stress, leisure deficit, tiredness and sadness.

Keywords

• caregivers
• health of the elderly
• alzheimer disease
• dementia
• mental health