The Effect of Care Guidance on the Caregivers of Patients with Unilateral Spatial Neglect

Abstract

Objective：The purpose of this study was to investigate whether guidance related to hard-pressed care burden in caregivers of patients with Unilateral Spatial Neglect（USN）improves the caregiver's care burden, quality of life（QOL), depression scores, and the patient's degree of USN, cognitive function, and activities of daily living（ADL). Methods：We provided guidance to 4 caregivers based on the results of a questionnaire filled out at baseline. Next, we compared the caregiver's scores on the Zarit caregiver burden interview（J-ZBI), MOS 36-item short-form health survey（SF-36), and the geriatric depression scale（GDS）before and after guidance. We also checked their scores on the behavioral inattention test（BIT), Catherine Bergego scale（CBS), mini-mental state examination（MMSE), and the functional independence measure（FIM）one month later. Results：Despite individual differences, the caregiver's scores on J-ZBI, SF-36 and the GDS were seen to improve after guidance. Moreover, it also improved the awareness for USN, as seen in the CBS anosognosia score. Further, the MMSE score revealed an improvement in cognitive function. Conclusion：We suggest improving the caregiver's care burden, QOL, depression symptoms, the awareness for USN, and the cognitive function of patients with USN, by providing guidance twice to each caregiver of patients with USN patients.