Carer experiences of frontotemporal dementia.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring the experiences of adjustment when caring for someone with fronto-temporal dementia.
IRAS ID
166094
Contact name
Zoe Rigg
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 5 months, 1 days
Research summary
Fronto-temporal dementia is a progressive condition which tends to have an effect on an individual's behaviour. Unlike the more commonly understood forms of dementia such as Alzheimer's disease, fronto-temporal presentations can include behavioural changes, changes in emotions and speech difficulties and tends to present as a younger onset dementia (Englund et al, 1994). Common changes usually include problems with disinhibition (displaying socially inappropriate behaviours), inflexible thinking, loss of social awareness and impulsivity amongst many others.
Research on caregiver burden in dementia indicates those caring for someone with a diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia experience higher need (Nicolaou, Egan, Gasson and Kane, 2010), levels of stress and depression (Mioshi, Bristow, Cook and Hodges, 2009) and levels of burden (Reidijk et al, 2006) than carers of those with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s type dementia.
Few studies to date have looked specifically at the experiences of carers of people diagnosed with fronto-temporal dementia. The proposed study will focus particularly on these carers in relation to their experience since the diagnosis and how they may have adjusted to their difficult circumstances. This will be achieved through individual interviews relating to life as a carer for someone with fronto-temporal dementia.This will add to the previous literature and provide more of an understanding of the processes behind some of the empirical findings to date. This information could be significant when considering support and services in dementia care.
REC name
London - Fulham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/LO/0080
Date of REC Opinion
3 Feb 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion