Assistance for the Elderly with Dementia by Caregivers at the Nursing Home

Abstract

The incidence of Alzheimer's dementia worldwide is increasing rapidly. It is estimated that nearly 50 million people are diagnosed with dementia worldwide and 20.9 million in Asia Pacific. In Indonesia, it is estimated that there were around 1.2 million people with dementia in 2016, which will increase to 2 million in 2030 and 4 million people in 2050. The elderly/people with dementia need assistance from family members to carry out daily activities because of its limitations. This research aims to understand the needs of elderly people with dementia and caregivers who accompany them in nursing homes, to develop dignified services. The research was conducted in Jakarta with 22 research subjects, consisting of 10 elderly with dementia and ten caregivers as the primary informants and two key informants who were the caretakers of the nursing home. The method used is qualitative, with data collection techniques through participant observation, in-depth interviews, document studies, and Focus Group Discussions. Data analysis used the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) method. The results showed that all elderly with dementia had a history of comorbidities (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, stroke, psychosis, insomnia, dyslipidemia, presbycusis), so they experienced moderate to severe dependence, which indicated the need for long-term care. Meanwhile, all caregivers are formal caregivers (not from the family) but have not received adequate education and training on dementia and methods of assisting the elderly with dementia.