Alzheimers Patients and their Female Caregivers

Results

The survey yielded 40 female respondents . These respondents fall into two main categories : Wives and female partners of AD patients and caregivers whose have other relations to the patient . Sixteen of the respondents were wives and female partners of AD patients while the rest included other family members , close relatives and private caregivers

Wives /Female partners : 16

Other female caregivers : 24

1 . Family member : 14

2 . Close relative : 6

3 . Private caregiver : 4

The results revealed that all of the female partners live with the patient while

some of the family and private caregivers do not live with the patient . Most of the female partners also described their relationship to the patient prior to the onset of symptoms as excellent while the other female caregivers described an average relationship with patient during the same period

Table SEQ Table \ ARABIC 1 Respondents

Caregiver Living with patient Do not live with patient

Wives /Female partners 16 0

Female caregivers 18 6 Table SEQ Table \ ARABIC 2 Relationship to patients

Caregiver Excellent Average Poor

Wives /Female partners 12 3 1

Female caregivers 4 14 6 The average number of hours spent by female partners caring for the patient is more than 13 hours while the other female caregivers spent an average of not more than 6 hours a day caring for the their patient Wives and female partners of AD patients also spent 6-7 days a week caring for the patient and had an average doing the job . Other female caregivers spend an average of 3-5 days a week of caregiving and a patient

Table SEQ Table \ ARABIC 3 Time spent caring for patient

Caregiver Hours per day Days per week No . of months

Wives /Female partners 13 6 11

Female caregivers 1-6 3-5 1-5 Most of the respondents who are wives and female partners of AD patients describe their health prior to caring for the patient as good Many of them have health problems such as hypertension , diabetes and arthritis . However , many of them claim that their present general health status remains good although there were limitations on some of their activities because of their present health

Female caregivers other than wives and female partners described their general health prior to caring for AD patients as excellent and reported few health problems and limitations of their activities due to these problems . Many of them also reported that their present general health remains excellent despite caring for AD patients

Table SEQ Table \ ARABIC 4 General health status of wives /female partners

Wives /Female partners Excellent Good Fair Poor

Before caregiving 5 8 2 1

Present 4 8 2 2 Table SEQ Table \ ARABIC 5 General health of other female caregivers

Female caregivers Excellent Good Fair Poor

Before caregiving 14 7 2 1

Present 13 8 2 1 Table SEQ Table \ ARABIC 6 Health problems of wives /female partners of AD patients

Wives /Female partners Female caregivers

Heart Problems 5 2

Hypertension 8 4

Diabetes 3 2...