[The influence of long-term care on the health of caregivers of Alzheimer's disease patients].

The literature indicates that caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease experience a significant degree of burden that impacts on their health-related quality of life (HRQOL). AD caregivers experience significant changes in a social, family and professional life depending on diverse factors. Caring for a patient with dementia directly links to significant psychological stress. It also affects the caregivers' physical and mental health. The psychiatric morbidity is higher among the caregivers population. Depression, anxiety disorder and insomnia have been found to be the most common. The burden and the negative changes experienced by the caregivers predispose the lower quality of care and premature institutionalisation of AD patients. Excessive burden experienced by carers increases their rate of patients neglect and abuse. Life quality improvement becomes the main target of the proper care giving system.