Interventions for caregivers of patients with dementia.

With the aging of the population, an increasing number of people have dementia, most of whom are receiving home care. Caregivers are exposed to a variety of stressors, which may lead to feeling burdened, or to depression and anxiety. Various programs or structured interventions have been developed to prevent or lessen these negative consequences. The efficacy of these interventions is debated, mainly due to methodological differences between studies. Review studies so far have presented important discrepancies, thus perpetuating a lack of clarity regarding this important geriatric care problem. The effectiveness of interventions designed to prevent or reduce the burden and/or symptoms of anxiety and depression in informal caregivers are reviewed precisely and rigorously.