University of Queensland
Elaine Fielding, Elizabeth Beattie,
Margaret Readford
Dementia Collaborative Research Centre,
Queensland University of Technology
Meredith Gresham
HammondCare
and psychological symptoms of dementia
(BPSD) in people living at home with their
families. BPSD prevalence rates in people
with dementia living in the community are
estimated to be high.
in people with dementia living at home with
their families using a caregiver report scale,
the Dementia Behaviour Disturbance Scale
(DBDS). A second aim was to identify the
association between BPSD prevalence and
demographic characteristics of the person
with dementia such as age, gender, type and
stage of dementia and carer characteristics
such as age and relationship to the person with
dementia.
carers rated the frequency of BPSD over
calculated and regression analyses applied.
in this study exhibited at least one BPSD
and over half exhibited five or more BPSD.
However, the overall mean DBDS score (34
out of a maximum of 112) was not extreme.
Among the independent variables, stage of
dementia had a strong positive association with
DBDS score, while age of the carer showed a
negative association.
a specific family carer scale, this study has
determined that BPSD prevalence in people
living at home with their families is high and
that it typically increases over time as the
disease progresses.
PEOPlE liviNg WitH dEmENtia
do you think a person living with dementia
would feel if they were lost? The Western
Australian Police missing persons department
estimates that 1-2 people with dementia are
reported missing every month in WA. This
can cause trauma for the person missing and
significant stress on the family. Many families
report experiencing the fear of losing a loved
one as one of the highest carer burden issues
they face.
reasons for walking such as being part of their
leisure activity, exercise for good health and