Abuse of people with dementia by family carers: representative cross sectional survey

OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of abusive behaviours by family carers of people with dementia. DESIGN Representative cross sectional survey SETTING Community mental health teams in Essex and London. PARTICIPANTS 220 family carers of people newly referred to secondary psychiatric services with dementia who were living at home. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Psychological and physical abuse (revised modified conflict tactics scale). RESULTS 115 (52%, 95% confidence interval 46% to 59%) carers reported some abusive behaviour and 74 (34%, 27% to 40%) reported important levels of abuse. Verbal abuse was most commonly reported. Only three (1.4%) carers reported occasional physical abuse. CONCLUSIONS Abusive behaviour by family carers towards people with dementia is common, with a third reporting important levels of abuse and half some abusive behaviour. We found few cases of physical or frequent abuse, although those with the most abusive behaviour may have been reluctant to report it.