%0 Journal Article
%T Impact of the Pandemic Time on the Mental Health of People with Dementia and Their Family Caregivers in Brazil and Chile: One-Year Follow-Up.
%A Olavarría L
%A Caramelli P
%A Lema J
%A Andrade CB
%A Pinto A
%A Azevedo LVDS
%A Thumala D
%A Vieira MCS
%A Rossetti AP
%A Generoso AB
%A Carmona KC
%A Sepúlveda-Loyola W
%A Pinto LAC
%A Barbosa MT
%A Slachevsky A
%J J Alzheimers Dis
%V 98
%N 2
%D 2024 Feb 26
%M 38427488
%F 4.16
%R 10.3233/JAD-231310
%X <B>UNASSIGNED: </B>Previous studies reported the negative impact of social isolation on mental health in people with dementia (PwD) and their caregivers, butlongitudinal studies seem scarcer.<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>To describe a one-year follow-up impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on PwD and their caregivers in both Brazil and Chile.<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>This study analyzed the impact of the pandemic on the psychological and physical health of PwD and their family caregivers after one year of follow-up in three outpatient clinics in Brazil (n = 68) and Chile (n = 61).<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>In both countries, PwD reduced their functional capacity after one year of follow-up (p = 0.017 and p = 0.009; respectively) and caregivers reported worse physical and mental health (p = 0.028 and p = 0.039). Only in Chile, caregivers reported more sadness associated with care (p = 0.001), and reduced time sleeping (p = 0.07).<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>In conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic appears to have had a long-lasting impact on PwD and their caregivers. However, it is essential to acknowledge that the inherent progression of dementia itself may also influence changes observed over a year.