Caregivers who could involve anyone with primary responsibility of taking care of patients
A study conducted by a Mumbai based clinical psychologist shows that unlike in the West there was no major difference in the stress levels between professional and non-professional caregivers of patients suffering from dementia.
Arti Malhotra, Clinical Psychologist at Masina Hospital in Mumbai interviewed 60 caregivers of patients with dementia—a broad category of brain diseases that sees a decline in memory or other thinking skills of the patient over a period of time. The study is published in the latest edition of Indian Journal of Mental Health.
"In India many of the professional caregivers are not equipped to handle dementia patients. They don't have the proper training or infrastructure support," says Malhotra.
Caregivers covered in the study also involved nurses. Dementia patients need to be kept engaged in a highly stimulating way which needs proper training. In the West however, most of the research shows that professional caregivers are better at handling patients than family members. Stress levels too are seen to be considerably high in non-professional caregivers. "The West tends to be a highly individualistic society with very little social support for caregivers. In India the stress levels are offset by cheap availability of cleaning staff, involvement from neighbours, among others," said Malhotra.
Caregivers who could involve anyone with primary responsibility of taking care of patients , in recent years have been subject to considerable research since their ward's health takes considerable emotional toll on them.
"When we are talking about a severe neurological disorder like dementia, where a person is not aware of what is happening to him/her, there is a lot of burden on caregivers," Malhotra added.
While normally professionals are considered better equipped at caregiving, the results of this study were not consistent with the findings of studies done in the West. Malhotra also highlights changes taking place and the need to divert more resources to understand and care for patients with dementia. "Earlier dementia would strike in later stages of life but now it could be seen in 40s," she says.
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