The influence of a relative support group on carers' emotional distress

Research has shown that the supporters of relatives with dementia suffer high levels of stress and strain and it is the severity of stress which determines whether the dependent remains in the community or becomes institutionalized. This study evaluated the outcome of a 6-week, closed group, educational programme on reported levels of stress and strain on five supporters. Results showed an increase in the severity of problems presented by the carers whilst there was a decrease in their emotional distress. However, these results suggest that the carers in the present study were experiencing much higher levels of stress and strain than those of supporters in a larger investigation, where the eventual outcome was institutionalization of the dependents. The implications for the future of community care are discussed and a large scale survey of carers, including monitoring of eventual outcome for dependents, is recommended.