A systematic review of interventions for family caregivers of the elderly with dementia in Korea

Abstract

Purpose: This study was a systematic review to assess the contents and effects of an intervention program for family caregivers of the elderly with dementia in Korea. Methods: A literature search was done using Medline, CINAHL, RISS, KISS, and DBpia to identify studies reported in English or Korean from 2000 to 2021. Results: A total of 1,162 articles were searched; finally, 23 articles were used in the analysis based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The most applied intervention contents were knowledge provision and emotional support. Fourteen articles (60.9%) reported on complex interventions, including emotional, social support, relaxation, and various activities. The most frequently measured outcome variable in the reviewed literature was “burden,” followed by “depression” and “coping strategy.” Conclusion: The review results can provide basic data for establishing evidence and suggesting directions of interventions for family caregivers of the elderly with dementia.