[The support system for dementia patient and their caregiver with Skype and webcam]

Gan To Kagaku Ryoho. 2008 Dec:35 Suppl 1:43-5.
[Article in Japanese]

Abstract

The increase in the number of people suffering from dementia because of aging is a serious problem for caregivers since the feature of this pathology is irreversible and advancing. We designed an intervention study with Skype and webcam for patient with dementia being cared at home by their caregiver to prevent a further memory deterioration (seriousness of dementia) and to reduce a care burden as well. For a period of 12 weeks, a 4-patient-caregiver pair communicated with a hospital nurse through the computer for 30 minutes once a week. The patient and the caregiver worked as a pair. From the beginning of the intervention period, the intervention group and control group (n = 4) were assessed with cognitive scale, ADL scale, care burden scale and depression scale for the caregiver, and the like once in 4 weeks for 12 weeks. The initial report on the 8th week showed signs of improvement on the intervention group in HDS-R, also it improved the scale of moral of the caregiver as their scale of depression decreased.

Publication types

  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Caregivers* / ethics
  • Dementia / nursing*
  • Depression / prevention & control
  • Female
  • Home Nursing*
  • Humans
  • Internet*
  • Male
  • Nurses