How COVID-19 Has Affected Caregivers' Burden of Patients with Dementia: An Exploratory Study Focusing on Coping Strategies and Quality of Life during the Lockdown

COVID-19 has caused a public and international health emergency, leading to isolation and social distancing. These restrictions have had a significant impact on the caregivers of people with dementia, increasing the burden of patient management. The purpose of this study was to investigate the stress perceived by caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) during the pandemic. We used a cross-sectional survey design to evaluate the caregivers' psychological responses and coping strategies. Eighty-four caregivers of patients with a diagnosis of AD were involved in this study by completing an online questionnaire. They presented a high perception of stress (the Perceived Stress Scale mean +/- DS: 33.5 +/- 4.5), and their high burden in caring was mainly related to physical difficulties (Caregiver Burden Inventory-Physical Burden mean +/- DS: 15.0 +/- 2.1) and perception of loss of time (Caregiver Burden Inventory-Time-dependence Burden mean +/- DS: 16.5 +/- 1.4). Moreover, caregivers perceived their quality of life as very low (Short Form-12 Health Survey Physical mean +/- DS: 13.5 +/- 2.7; Short Form-12 Health Survey Mental Health mean +/- DS: 16.4 +/- 4.2). Finally, we found that participants mostly used dysfunctional coping strategies, such as avoidance strategies (Coping Orientation to Problem Experiences-Avoidance Strategies mean +/- DS: 39.5 +/- 7.1), but these strategies did not affect the stress level of caregivers. Given that caregivers present a high burden and stress, innovative tools could be a valuable solution to investigate and support their emotional and behavioral status during difficult periods, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.