The frequency and troublesomeness of symptoms associated with Alzheimer's disease

An increased understanding of the frequency and troublesomeness of symptoms for family members who are caring for a victim of Alzheimer's disease (AD) would be helpful for nurses in working with these families. This article reports on the changes of these symptoms over time as well as the troublesomeness of these symptoms for 30 families over an 18-month period. A symptom checklist based on George's Patient Illness Symptoms Checklist (George, 1983) was used. Over time the reported symptoms reflected increased mental impairment, which is associated with AD. For some of the symptoms, there was an increase in the symptoms' frequency, but their troublesomeness did not increase. Family caregivers who reported more symptoms for each time period also reported an increase in institutionalization of the AD member.