Nursing Care of the Institutionalized Elderly with Dementia and Caregivers' Burden in Korea

Nursing Care of the Institutionalized Elderly with Dementia and Caregivers' Burden in Korea

　Korea currently experiences a rapid increase of aging population due to improvement of health status and advanced medical technology. 14% of Korea's population is expected to be aged 65 years old or above by 2018 and thus officially become an “aged population”. The prevalence of dementia in Korea is expected as being 10.39 % (840,000) in 2020, and 15.06 % (2,170,000) in 2050 (Kim et al., 2011; Jung et al., 2012). Among a total number of elderly with dementia, 25.7%, and 30.0% has been offered the care service by the national elderly long-term care insurance in 2010 and 2014 respectively. According to the National Statistical Office, there are 2,933 long-term care facilities in Korea in 2015.

　This study with descriptive and cross-sectional survey design aimed to describe the nursing care on the institutionalized elderly with dementia in Korea. This study was conducted from two long-term care facilities in Korea and included the elderly with 1) MMSE ＜ 22; 2) diagnosis of dementia; 3) suspected or probable dementia; 4) residing in the facility ≧ 2 weeks. A total of 100 participants were answered with Barthel lndex (BI) to measure ADL; Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) to measure severity of dementia; Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) to measure level of cognitive function; Neuropsychiatric Inventory: Nursing Home Version (NPI-NH) to assess neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia patients in the nursing home setting; Totals of the NPI-NH of the nursing staff to assess the impact of neuropsychiatric symptoms on distress in professional caregivers. Descriptive statistics including proportions, mean, and standard deviation, was performed for general characteristics and study variables. The t-test and ANOVA were used to recognize differences in study variables.

　Korea currently experiences a rapid increase of aging population due to improvement of health status and advanced medical technology. 14% of Korea's population is expected to be aged 65 years old or above by 2018 and thus officially become an “aged population”. The prevalence of dementia in Korea is expected as being 10.39 % (840,000) in 2020, and 15.06 % (2,170,000) in 2050 (Kim et al., 2011; Jung et al., 2012). Among a total number of elderly with dementia, 25.7%, and 30.0% has been offered the care service by the national elderly long-term care insurance in 2010 and 2014 respectively. According to the National Statistical Office, there are 2,933 long-term care facilities in Korea in 2015.

　This study with descriptive and cross-sectional survey design aimed to describe the nursing care on the institutionalized elderly with dementia in Korea. This study was conducted from two long-term care facilities in Korea and included the elderly with 1) MMSE ＜ 22; 2) diagnosis of dementia; 3) suspected or probable dementia; 4) residing in the facility ≧ 2 weeks. A total of 100 participants were answered with Barthel lndex (BI) to measure ADL; Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) to measure severity of dementia; Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) to measure level of cognitive function; Neuropsychiatric Inventory: Nursing Home Version (NPI-NH) to assess neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia patients in the nursing home setting; Totals of the NPI-NH of the nursing staff to assess the impact of neuropsychiatric symptoms on distress in professional caregivers. Descriptive statistics including proportions, mean, and standard deviation, was performed for general characteristics and study variables. The t-test and ANOVA were used to recognize differences in study variables.