The correlation between Dementia Severity and caregiver Burden Level in community

This research aim is to investigate the correlation between dementia severity and caregiver burden level.

This research is a cross-sectional research involving 23 respondents who took care of the elderly with dementia. The questionnaire employed in the data collection was MMSE (Mini-Mental Status Examination) questionnaire to assess the dementia severity level, while the data on the caregiver burden level was collected through the Cregiver Burden questionnaire by Zarit.

Among 23 elderly taken care, 61% of them suffered from severe dementia. Meanwhile, the caregiver burden level of the respondents was measured in mild-moderate level. There were no respondents with severe caregiver burden level. The caregiver burden level suggested a different result in each dementia severity level. Furthermore, the correlation between dementia severity and caregiver burden level indicated p value of 0.001 and r value of 0.694 (significance α < 0.05).

There was a significant relationship between dementia severity level and caregiver burden level. Positive coping played a highly critical role in minimizing the caregiver burden level experienced by elderly caregivers.