People caring for relatives with dementia admit abusing them, research finds
Half of people caring for relatives or spouses with dementia have reported abusing them, researchers warned.
by Rebecca Smith, Medical Editor
22 Jan 2009
Abuse mostly consisted of occasionally shouting or swearing at elderly relatives with the condition, a third admitted significant abuse.
Only 1.4 per cent reported violent abuse, although this may be an under-estimate as carers are less likely to admit to serious abuse, the authors said.
The researchers from University College London said the findings are not surprising because carers receive little support.
Three psychiatrists questioned 220 carers who had family members living at home with them who were being treated by psychiatric services for dementia.
Dr Claudia Cooper, UCL Department of Mental Health Sciences and lead author of the study, said: “Many people think about elder abuse in terms of “lashing out” and other similar acts, but abuse as defined by government guidelines* can be as simple as shouting or swearing at the person being cared for.”
Dementia affects 700,000 people in the UK, most of whom have Alzheimer's. It is predicted that this figure will rise to more than a million by 2025.
The study, published in the British Medical Journal, showed 115 (52.3 per cent) of the carers reported some abusive behaviour, such as very occasionally screaming or yelling, and 74 (33.6 per cent) reported significant levels of abuse, such as more frequent insulting or swearing.
Co-author Professor Gill Livingston said: “The vast majority of family carers do a fantastic job under very difficult circumstances and although levels of minor abuse seem high according to the scale used, there may need to be a redefinition.
“Healthcare professionals can be reluctant to ask about abuse by family carers, but this attitude can be very unhelpful to carers who are worried about their own actions and want to talk about them and get help. Considering elder abuse as a spectrum of behaviours rather than an “all or nothing” phenomenon could help professionals to ask about it and therefore offer assistance.”
Abridged
SOURCE: The Telegraph (UK)
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