Perceived quality of life of elderly patients with dementia and family caregivers: evaluation and correlation.

This study aimed to evaluate the perceived quality of life of elderly patients with dementia and their respective family caregivers and identify correlations between variables. Participants (n=106) were elderly patients with Alzheimer attended by the Exceptional Medication Program in a city in the interior of Sao Paulo, and their respective caregivers. Measures of quality of life were obtained through the Quality of Life Assessment Scale on Alzheimer's disease. Data were entered into a database in the Statistical Program for Social Sciences for descriptive analysis and Spearman's correlation. The total average score for patients and caregivers was 29.32 (sd=+/-6.27, xmin=16, xmax=42) and 38.83 points (sd=+/-5.62, xmin=29, xmax=49). The associated rho coefficient was (+)0.406 (p<0.005). This result indicates moderate correlation between quality of life of caregivers and elderly patients with dementia.