QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PEOPLE WITH ALZHEIMER’S
DEMENTIA AND THEIR CAREGIVERS THROUGH THE
EXISTING SPECIALTY SERVICES: “MORAL CAREER” OF THE
PERSON WITH THE ALZHEIMER DESEASE
Oana Alexandra MORCAN
Vasile Goldis Western University of Arad,
Faculty of Social and Humanistic Sciences, Arad, Romania
Tel: 0040 – 257 – 250599
E-mail: morcanoana@yahoo.com
Abastract
The theme identified, and taken into the research undertaken is not only new, and research in the field of psychosocial studies and social work from Romania, but, especially, which is required for theoretical and methodological Foundation of social policies and services for particular categories of vulnerable, growing.
The present paper is intended to provide the opportunity of making gerontology assistance, theoretical practices aiming at quality of life in the social services provided to people with A.D. and their caregivers, starting from a comparative study between them in non-specialized in residential centres and psychiatric hospitals as “total” institutions similar to detention spaces. The methods used in the research study were qualitative observation, and structured interview guide applied to staff in health centre personnel from Arad, concerned care centres intended for persons with dementia in Arad. The results of qualitative analysis, it helps us draw up some signals of alarm on daily “realities” of the disease, which has a large incident in Europe and Romania, namely social services not adapted yet, due to the “lack of” highly professionalized intervention, adapted to the new requirements of the psycho-social person with A.D. Unfortunately in Romania people with dementia often end up as psychiatric patients, while social assistance is “called” to be the main actor in the service of the person with A.D. and their caregivers through a generous range of services adapted to the type of day care centres, residential and weekend services, designed to relieve caregivers burden of medical care, contributing significantly to the quality of those two categories.
Key words: Alzheimer’s dementia, caregivers, social support, network security, quality of life, social services, medical care, intervention