title: Service utilisation by carers of people with dementia in rural Victoria.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the use of community and dementia-specific services by informal carers caring for someone with dementia in a rural setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Carers of people with dementia were recruited through a variety of rural community services and invited to complete a survey related to the utilisation of community services.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 39 carers completed surveys. Despite 84% reporting use of the Aged Care Assessment Service and 61% reporting provision of printed information on the services available, less than half of the carers utilised commonly available support services. Only 46% received financial compensation for their carer role.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rural carers of care recipients with behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia underutilise community services. Services that may assist with carer stress and depression and services that provide advice on the management of distressing behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia were utilised by less than half of the carers surveyed.
authors.affiliation: Rural Health Academic Centre, University of Melbourne, Shepparton, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Kaye
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ervin
authors.affiliation: Goulburn Valley Family Care, Shepparton, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Reid
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D035881:Compensation and Redress; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006295:Health Resources / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D015995:Prevalence; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014739:Victoria / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: carergivers; dementia; health services for the aged; rural health