The impact on carers of behavioural difficulties in dementia: A pilot study on management

Sixteen day centre attenders with dementia and their carers were interviewed. The cognitive and behavioural impairments of subjects with dementia were assessed using the Mini‐Mental State and the Stockton Geriatric Behaviour Rating Scale. Carers were assessed using the GHQ(28) as a screen for psychiatric morbidity. Where psychological intervention programmes were successful in reducing behaviour identified by carers as particularly distressing, carer GHQ fell. Future studies are needed.

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