Abstract
Well-being related to care for person with dementia (PwD) is an important health measure as it involves both negative and positive implications of caregiving. To learn about factors related to caregiver’s well-being perception, a cross-sectional study was conducted in family caregivers of older persons with mild and moderate dementia, who assisted a daycare center for dementia in Santiago, Chile, from March to July 2016. Data were collected using the following assessments: PCI (perceived wellbeing), ZBI-6 (caregiver burden), EQ-5D (health perception), GDS-Reisberg (dementia severity), NPI-Q (neuro-psychiatric behaviors and distress) and ADCS-ADL (activities of daily living). The relationship between perceived well-being and other factors was evaluated through correlations (r,s) and logistic regression models (OR). In 86 subjects, significant correlations were observed (p<0,05) for perceived well-being and caregiver burden (r=-0,53), health perception (s=0,39), depressive symptoms (s=-0,44), activities of daily living (r=0,21), neuro-psychiatric behaviors (r=-0,43) and distress (r=-0,54). Perceived well-being and its dimensions were associated negatively to neuro-psychiatric behaviors (OR=1,07; 95%CI=1,03-1,15), caregiver burden (OR=1,48; 95%CI=1,18-1,86), and positively associated to activities of daily living (OR=0,95; 95%CI=0,91-0,99). Caregivers of PwD perceived well-being does not relate solely to burden sensation, but also to health situations and PwD symptoms. Interventions targeting caregivers should not only consider the negative implications of care (as burden) but also the positive elements that could be useful to improve well-being.