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Responsibilities of health care workers in respite care
What are the responsibilities of physicians and health care workers with respect to respite care?
The physician or health care worker must introduce the concept of respite care and assure every primary caregiver that he or she will need it sooner or later.
Even early in the disease process, activities that are directed toward patients (such as day centers) help promote their autonomy and provide supervision while providing respite to caregivers.
Many caregivers feel guilty about not being able to care for the patient alone every day and night.
They need to know that all affected families require help in caregiving.
Sources
- Doody RS, Stevens JC, Beck, C, Dubinsky RM, Kaye JA, Gwyther L, et al.: Practice parameter: management of dementia (an evidence-based review). Report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology. Neurology 56(9):1154-1166, 2001.
- Doody RS: Prevention and future treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. In Doody RS (ed): Alzheimer’s dementia . Delray Beach, FL: Carma Publishing, pp 115-140, 2008.
- Reisburg B, Doody R, Stöffler A, Schmitt F, Ferris S, Möbius HJ; Memantine Study Group: Memantine in moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease. N Engl J Med 348(14):1333-1341, 2003.
- Sano M, Ernesto C, Thomas RG, Klauber MR, Schafer K, Grundman M, et al.: A controlled trial of selegiline, alpha-tocopherol or both as treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. N Engl J Med 336(17):1216-1222, 1997.
- Dysken MW, Sano M, Asthana S, Vertrees JE, Pallaki M, Llorente M, et al.: The effect of vitamin E and memantine on functional decline in Alzheimer disease. JAMA 311(1):33-44, 2014.
