Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-v9fdk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-05T06:45:29.013Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Influence of Emotional Distress among Supporters on the Outcome of Psychogeriatric Day Care

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

C. J. Gilleard*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Middle East, Technical University, Inonu Bulvari, Ankara, Turkey

Abstract

From a sample of consecutive referrals for psychogeriatric day care, the influence of the supporters' emotional distress and self-reported strain, together with the number of problems presented by the patient, was examined in relation to outcome, 6–7 months after initial attendance. A higher level of problems and the failure to achieve any reduction in reported distress were both found to contribute to the breakdown of community care and to the subsequent institutionalisation of the patient. Day hospital care was associated with a significant reduction in emotional distress for the majority of relatives, although for relatives whose distress was not alleviated by their dependents' attendance, admission to long-term care did produce such a reduction.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © 1987 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Eagles, J. M. & Gilleard, C. J. (1984) The functions and effectiveness of a day hospital for the demented elderly. Health Bulletin (Edinburgh), 42, 8791.Google Scholar
Gilleard, C. J., Belford, H., Gilleard, E., Gledhill, K. & Whittick, J. E. (1984a) Emotional distress amongst the supporters of the elderly infirm. British Journal of Psychiatry, 145, 172177.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Whittick, J. E., Gilleard, E. & Whittick, J. E. (1984b) Impact of psychogeriatric day hospital care on the patient's family. British Journal of Psychiatry, 145, 487492.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Greene, J. G. & Timbury, G. C. (1979) A geriatric psychiatry day hospital service: a five year review. Age and Ageing, 8, 4953.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Greene, J. G., Smith, R., Gardiner, M. & Timbury, G. C. (1982) Measuring behavioural disturbance of elderly demented patients in the community and its effects on relatives: a factor analytic study. Age and Ageing, 11, 121126.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Goldberg, D. P. (1978) Manual for the General Health Questionnaire. Windsor: NFER-Nelson.Google Scholar
Issacs, B. (1971) Geriatric patients: do their families care? British Medical Journal, iv, 282286.Google Scholar
Levin, E., Sinclair, I. & Gorbach, P. (1983) The Supporter of Confused Elderly Persons at Home. Final Report to DHSS vol. 1. London: National Institute of Social Work Research Unit.Google Scholar
Machin, E. (1980) A survey of the behaviour of the elderly ánd their supporters at home. MSc Thesis, Department of Psychology, University of Birmingham.Google Scholar
Peace, S. M. (1982) Review of day hospital provision in psychogeriatrics. Health Trends, 14, 9295.Google Scholar
Sands, D. & Suzuki, T. (1983) Adult daycare for Alzheimer's patients and their families. The Gerontologist, 23, 2123.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
SPSS (1983) SPSS ‘X’. User's Guide. New York: McGraw Hill.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.