Palliative Care in the patient with dementia – the caregiver’s perspective

Abstract

Palliative care focuses on preventing and easing suffering, supporting people facing serious or terminal illnesses and their family members, and providing them with the best possible quality of life. Dementia is characterised by a gradual decline in cognition and functional status. Its’ progression requires increasing levels of care, with caregivers playing a pivotal role. This study aimed to assess the role of palliative care in caring for patients with dementia. The bibliographic review relied on research within reference databases, including meta-analyses, systematic reviews, bibliographic reviews, clinical trials, clinical guidance standards, and guidelines published in the last 10 years in Portuguese and English. The following MeSH terms were used: caregiver, palliative care and dementia. The results showed that interventions such as stress management, educational programs, coping strategies, as well as psychosocial, spiritual and grief support might mitigate caregiver exhaustion. The family doctor must adopt a holistic approach to late-stage dementia that includes caregivers as a receiving party of care. A multidisciplinary approach alongside the palliative care team facilitates the implementation of strategies to prevent caregiver exhaustion.