Collaboration toward an effective support for caregivers of people with dementia

STATE OF THE ART Dementia is the major problem for public health and welfare systems in the XXI century. About 1.000.000 people in Italy have dementia. More than 50% of involved families still attend public services with not yet satisfactory results. The impact of dementia on caregivers includes physical, psychological, social and financial aspect. Few studies addressing the issue of total economic cost of dementia. OBJECTIVE In Italy, due to various economic and organisational kind of regional public health service, different support services to patient with dementia and their caregivers are available. The project aims to elaborate national guidelines for an effective model of management demented people’s caregiver burden, with particular attention to economic aspect. EXPERIMENTAL PLAN After a systematic review of the international best practice in the support for caregiver of people with dementia, the in field research will evaluate existent model services for patients and caregivers in a selected centre. It will be possible to identify mandatory indicators for an effective management model. With these data, we perform guidelines for an effective support for caregivers, specific for italian context. EXPECTED RESULTS We will have easy to handle data about how has to be an effective model of support caregivers. The economic impact will be useful to establish how many resources health care systems have to allocate to mitigate the burden associated with the mortality and the morbidity of such illness. Many of the issues that arise for people with dementia could be apply broadly to other patient groups.