BURNOUT AMONG ALZHEIMER´S CAREGIVERS: THE CARELESS HELPING WORKER

Abstract

This article examines the emotional effects suffered by the familiar who assume the role of principal caregiver of Alzheimer’s disease patients, and specially the “Burnout”. This disturbance is manifested as a complex affective and motivational syndrome, which appears on those who carry out help tasks, and make them suffer different symptoms, such as emotional string, intercourse despersonalization and inadequance to the developed task. The care and constant attention that familiars must pay the patient along the disease phases, attending as helpless spectators the progressive and irreversible patient deterioration, often justifies the appearance of this syndrome. In this article we describe the variables which, from the social environment, familiar and personal, modulates the relationship between the caregiver and patient. Subsequently we analyse the absence of programs to prevention and intervention for mitigating this syndrome effects. Lastly, we conclude the necessity of implementing psychologists programs which establish adaptatives guidelines of confrontation and control along the different phases of this disease.