title: ["Alzheimer family group": a systematic study of the needs and experiences of caregivers].
abstract: We evaluated the expectations and experience of 34 participants from a caregivers' support group. In comparison with the husbands, the wives of demented patients attended more regularly and for a longer period of time. Wives expected and experienced emotional support, whereas husbands were more interested in obtaining information about the medical causes of dementia and about patient management. Wives and daughters admitted to greater emotional and physical distress. The role and efficiency of caregivers' support groups should be studied prospectively, particularly because dementia-related problems posed on individual families on one hand and on the public health sector on the other are expected to increase during the next decades.
authors.affiliation: Zentralinstitut für Seelische Gesundheit, Mannheim.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Förstl
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Geiger-Kabisch
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D012944:Social Support; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology
vernacular_title: "Alzheimer Angehörigengruppe": Eine systematische Erhebung von Bedürfnissen und Erfahrungen pflegender Angehöriger.