ABSTRACT

Objective: In Korea, there is a lack of studies on interventions for caregivers of people with dementia. The aim of this systematic review was to examine randomized controlled trial studies about interventions for caregivers of people with dementia conducted outside Korea. Methods: This systematic review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses(PRISMA) guideline. Database searches were done through PubMed, Medline(ProQuest), EBSCOhost(CINAHL Plus with full text), and PsycINFO. A total of 8 studies were included in this review. Each of the included studies was assessed for the quality using the PEDro Scale. Results: Interventions of the included studies involved home visits(4 studies), telephone counseling(2 studies), education(1 study), and meditation(1 study). Those studies were effective in improving caregivers’depression, stress, and quality of life. Conclusion: Since the included studies of this review were conducted in foreign countries, some interventions may not be suitable for caregivers in Korea and the results may not be generalizable to Korean caregivers of people with dementia. Studies about interventions for caregivers of people with dementia should be actively conducted in Korea. In particular, further studies about interventions by occupational therapists who are the experts in activity analysis, task simplification, and environmental modifications are needed.