Family Arrangements and Quality of Life in Mexican Patients with Dementia

Introduction: In the aging population, especially in subjects with dementia, the degree of dependence increases, as well as an increase in the needs of health services and social costs of care. The family is the main support network for a dependent older person. However, it leads to a different family structure. Objective: To determine the influence of the types of arrangements of the caregiver family on the quality of life of the patient with dementia. Method: Observational and cross-sectional study. Patients older than 65 years with dementia were included. The family arrangement and the quality of life of the patients, and the caregiver, were identified. The type of family arrangement was classified according to The Savvy Caregiver Trainer's Manual, and quality of life was measured using the Quality of Life in Alzheimer's disease [QOL-AD] scale. Results: 200 patients with dementia and their main caregivers were included. The patients' median age was 80 [73-84] years, 125 [62.5%] women. The main family arrangement identified was the solitary caregiver [51.5%], followed by the collaborative caregiver [25.5%] and sequential caregiver [19%]. We found a lower score on the QOL-AD scale in patients with global intermediate phase dementia and patients with a solitary caregiver and collaborative caregiver compared to those in the initial phase. We found no difference in the score between the different types of caregivers globally or each phase of dementia. Conclusion: The type of family arrangement that the patient has does not influence the caregiver's quality of life or dementia. However, physicians can make a family focus on other factors related to a decrease in family burden.