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Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Family Carers of Older People Living with Dementia in Italy and Hungary

Author

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  • László Árpád Kostyál

    (Institute of Mental Health, Semmelweis University, P.O. Box 2, 1428 Budapest, Hungary)

  • Zsuzsa Széman

    (Institute of Mental Health, Semmelweis University, P.O. Box 2, 1428 Budapest, Hungary)

  • Virág Erzsébet Almási

    (Independent Researcher, 1191 Budapest, Hungary)

  • Paolo Fabbietti

    (Unit of Geriatric Pharmacoepidemiology and Biostatistics, IRCCS INRCA-National Institute of Health and Science on Ageing, Via Santa Margherita 5, 60124 Ancona, Italy)

  • Sabrina Quattrini

    (Centre for Socio-Economic Research on Ageing, IRCCS INRCA-National Institute of Health and Science on Ageing, Via Santa Margherita 5, 60124 Ancona, Italy)

  • Marco Socci

    (Centre for Socio-Economic Research on Ageing, IRCCS INRCA-National Institute of Health and Science on Ageing, Via Santa Margherita 5, 60124 Ancona, Italy)

  • Giovanni Lamura

    (Centre for Socio-Economic Research on Ageing, IRCCS INRCA-National Institute of Health and Science on Ageing, Via Santa Margherita 5, 60124 Ancona, Italy)

  • Cristina Gagliardi

    (Centre for Socio-Economic Research on Ageing, IRCCS INRCA-National Institute of Health and Science on Ageing, Via Santa Margherita 5, 60124 Ancona, Italy)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major effect on both older people with dementia and families caring for them. This paper presents the results of an online survey carried out among Italian and Hungarian family carers of people with dementia during the first pandemic wave (May–July 2020, n = 370). The research questions were the following: (1) How has the pandemic changed the lives of family carers? (2) How did government restriction measures change the availability of care-related help? (3) What other changes did families experience? Results show that about one-quarter of both subsamples experienced a deterioration in their financial status. A decline in both general and mental health was also reported. Due to “lockdown”, family carers’ burden increased substantially. Utilization of care-related help decreased, and the share of those left with no help increased in both countries. Cross-country differences emerged in terms of dementia care system, severity of the first pandemic wave, and measures put in place by governments. Findings outline the weaknesses of support structures and their country-specific vulnerabilities to a worldwide pandemic. To better protect people with dementia in the future, it is essential to strengthen their family carers, and support structures need to be re-evaluated and re-designed.

Suggested Citation

  • László Árpád Kostyál & Zsuzsa Széman & Virág Erzsébet Almási & Paolo Fabbietti & Sabrina Quattrini & Marco Socci & Giovanni Lamura & Cristina Gagliardi, 2021. "Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Family Carers of Older People Living with Dementia in Italy and Hungary," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-19, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:13:p:7107-:d:581659
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Francesco Barbabella & Carlos Chiatti & Joseph M. Rimland & Maria Gabriella Melchiorre & Giovanni Lamura & Fabrizia Lattanzio, 2016. "Socioeconomic Predictors of the Employment of Migrant Care Workers by Italian Families Assisting Older Alzheimer’s Disease Patients: Evidence From the Up-Tech Study," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 71(3), pages 514-525.
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    1. Sara Santini & Marco Socci & Paolo Fabbietti & Giovanni Lamura & Andrea Teti, 2022. "Factors Worsening and Mitigating the Consequences of the COVID-19 Outbreak on the Overall Health of Informal Caregivers of Older People with Long-Term Care Needs Living in Germany and in Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-21, February.
    2. Georgia Casanova & Mirian Fernández-Salido & Carolina Moreno-Castro, 2023. "The Risk of Household Socioeconomic Deprivation Related to Older Long-Term Care Needs: A Qualitative Exploratory Study in Italy and Spain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-15, October.
    3. Elena Golubeva & Anastasia Emelyanova & Olga Kharkova & Arja Rautio & Andrey Soloviev, 2022. "Caregiving of Older Persons during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Russian Arctic Province: Challenges and Practice," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-13, February.

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