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Original Article
Dementia and Neurocognitive Disorders 2012: 11: 1: 13-17

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치매 환자는 누가 돌보는가: 독거 치매 노인 현황과 주부양자 조사 연구
윤보라*, 심용수†, 김용덕*, 이기욱*, 나상준*, 홍윤정†, 양동원†
건양대학교 의과대학 신경과학교실*, 가톨릭대학교 의과대학 신경과학교실†
Who Takes Care of Patients with Dementia in Korea: A Study on the Present State of Patients with Dementia Living Alone and Primary Caregivers
Bora Yoon, M.D.*, Yong S. Shim, M.D.†, Yong-Duk Kim, M.D.*, Kee Ook Lee, M.D.*, Sang-Jun Na, M.D.*, Yun-Jeong Hong, M.D.†, Dong-Won Yang, M.D.†
Department of Neurology*, Konyang University College of Medicine, Daejeon; Department of Neurology†, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
Background: Cultural characteristics of taking care of patients with dementia in Korea are based on the influence of Confucianism on the lifestyle of Koreans. In addition, as the family size has been getting smaller, the number of old persons who live alone has been increasing. The purpose of this study is to examine the proportion of the elderly with dementia who live alone and demographics of caregivers when such patients live with their family.
Methods: From the multiple hospital-based cohort, 973 elderly patients with very mild dementia (Clinical Dementia Rating [CDR]=0.5), 1,056 patients with mild dementia (CDR=1) and 359 patients with moderate dementia (CDR=2) were recruited. We analyzed the proportion of the patients with dementia who live alone and the demographics of the caregivers if such patients live with and are taken care of by such caregivers depending upon the severity of dementia.
Results: The proportion of the patients with dementia who live alone accounts for about 40% of all elderly patients with dementia. Major age groups of caregivers are of 40s and 50s. Sons, daughters, and spouses were ranked in the said order in the proportion of caregivers according to their relationship to patients.
Conclusions: Up to now, family members care for about 60% of elderly patients with dementia, which may suggest that from the objective viewpoint, direct burden borne by caregivers for old patients with dementia would be considerably high. On the other hand, about 40% of dementia patients live alone, implying that the social care system is needed for them.
Key Words: Caregiver, Dementia, Demographics