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A Review on the Impact of COVID-19-Related Lockdowns on the Burden of Care in Caregivers of Persons with Dementia
oleh: Swar Shah, Shabbir Amanullah
| Format: | Article |
|---|---|
| Diterbitkan: | Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2022-04-01 |
Deskripsi
Background: The impact of COVID-19 and related lockdowns on the caregivers of persons with dementia (PwD) has received less focus. Objectives: This article reviews existing literature on the effects of the COVID-19 lockdowns on the burden of care in caregivers of PwD. Methods: We searched through the databases: Medline, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. A total of 12 studies analyzing the effect of COVID-19 lockdowns on burden in caregivers of PwD were chosen for the review. Literature published in the English language, peer-reviewed journals, primary research on the burden of care for caregivers of PwD, which were conducted during COVID-19 lockdowns, were included. Articles that focused only on PwD but not caregivers and case reports were excluded. Results: A total of 6147 caregivers were included in the studies on caregiver burden during COVID-19 lockdowns. Out of the 12 studies chosen, 10 studies with a total sample size of 6054 caregivers showed an increase in burden of care and stress during the lockdown in caregivers. There was a demonstrated impact on two key areas of caregiver burden: time dependence and physical health. Discontinuation of services due to lockdowns such as day cares and paid care was a primary reason for the increase in burden. There was a positive association between the severity of dementia and increase in burden of care on the caregiver. Female caregivers formed the largest proportion of caregivers in the studies reviewed. Resilience of caregivers did not demonstrate a positive impact on the reduction of burden. Conclusion: Current evidence points to an increase in burden on caregivers of PwD during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Specific interventions can be considered to combat physical burden and time dependence through financial literacy and promotion of exercise and routine. There is a need for management strategies that address caregivers with both low and high levels of resilience. Management strategies developed around the needs of women caregivers must be explored in future guidelines. There were limitations in the data due to a lack of baseline measures in most studies and the authors recommend that this be addressed in future research along with cultural effects, and subtypes of dementia involved.