Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord. 2024 Nov 7. doi: 10.1097/WAD.0000000000000647. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Dementia can adversely affect the quality of life (QoL) of family members/partners of those affected. Measuring this often-neglected burden is critical to planning and providing appropriate support services. This study measures this impact using the Family-Reported Outcome Measure (FROM-16).
METHODS: A large UK cross-sectional online study through patient research platforms, recruited family members/partners of people with dementia, to complete the FROM-16.
RESULTS: Totally, 711 family members/partners (mean age=58.7 y, SD=12.5; females=81.3%) of patients (mean age=81.6, SD=9.6; females=66.9) with dementia completed the FROM-16. The FROM-16 mean total score was 17.5 (SD=6.8), meaning “a very large effect” on QoL of family members, with females being more adversely impacted.
CONCLUSIONS: Dementia profoundly impacts the QoL of family members/partners of patients. Routine use of FROM-16 could signpost provision of care support, reducing family members’ burnout. Such routine data could be used in economic analysis of the burden of dementia as well as in predicting institutionalization.
PMID:39506214 | DOI:10.1097/WAD.0000000000000647
