บทบาทพยาบาลจิตเวชในการส่งเสริมความเข้มแข็งในชีวิตของผู้ดูแล ผู้ที่มีภาวะสมองเสื่อม

Chalinee Suvanayos; Woraset Watchararotchanasakul; Suwit Inthong

Authors

Chalinee Suvanayos Faculty of Nursing, C้hiang Mai University
Woraset Watchararotchanasakul Boromarajonani College of Nursing Chiang Mai
Suwit Inthong Faculty of Nursing, Chiang Mai University

Keywords:

Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD), Caregiver, Dementia, Psychiatric nursing, Resilience

Abstract

Dementia is a progressive neurodegenerative condition characterized by a decline in cognitive function, memory, emotion, behavior, and the ability to perform activities of daily living. Family caregivers of people with dementia, particularly those caring for individuals who exhibit behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), such as aggression, irritability, wandering, or delusions, often experience substantial stress, caregiver burden, and psychological distress. Promoting resilience is therefore considered a key mechanism that enables caregivers to adapt to stressful caregiving situations, restore psychological well-being, and maintain sustainable mental health. According to Grotberg's resilience framework, resilience comprises three fundamental components: "I have," "I am," and "I can." These components serve as protective factors that strengthen caregivers' ability to cope effectively with caregiving-related stress.

Psychiatric nurses play a pivotal role in integrating resilience into the psychiatric nursing process through comprehensive assessment, nursing diagnosis and planning, implementation of nursing interventions, and evaluation of outcomes. In addition, psychiatric nursing practice encompasses four essential dimensions: health promotion, prevention, therapeutic intervention, and rehabilitation, all of which contribute to strengthening caregivers' resilience. Nursing interventions aimed at enhancing resilience help caregivers adapt more effectively to caregiving-related stress, reduce caregiver burden, improve their capacity to manage the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, and ultimately enhance the quality of life of both caregivers and people living with dementia. Furthermore, these interventions foster caregivers' recognition of their own strengths and self-worth, strengthen social support networks, and develop constructive problem-solving skills. Consequently, caregivers experience reduced stress, greater psychological resilience, enhanced emotional well-being, and improved overall quality of life.

References

Alzheimer’s Association. (2024). 2024 Alzheimer’s disease facts and figures. Alzheimer's & Dementia, 20(5), 3708–3821. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.13809

Duangjina, T., Hershberger, P. E., Gruss, V., & Fritschi, C. (2025). Resilience in family caregivers of Asian older people with dementia: An integrative review. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 81(1), 156–170. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.16272

Grotberg, E. H. (1995). A guide to promoting resilience in children: Strengthening the human spirit. Bernard van Leer Foundation.

Hatch, S., Seitz, D. P., Bruneau, M. A., Ewa, V., Feldman, S., Goldberg, Y., Goodarzi, Z., Herrmann, N., Colborne, D. H., Henri-Bhargava, A., Ismail, Z., Kirkham, J., Kumar, S., Lanctôt, K. L., Thompson, W., Porter, J., & Watt, J. A. (2025). The Canadian coalition for seniors' mental health Canadian clinical practice guidelines for assessing and managing behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). Canadian Geriatrics Journal, 28(1), 91–102. https://doi.org/10.5770/cgj.28.820

Herrero, R., & Díaz, A. (2025). The role of resilience as a buffer for burden and psychological distress in ADS caregivers: A cross-sectional study. Science, 7(2), 38. https://doi.org/10.3390/sci7020038

James, I. A., Gray, K., Moniz-Cook, E., Lee, K., Reichelt, K., & Richardson, J. (2022). Behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia: A new framework for holistic understanding and non-pharmacological management. BJPsych Advances, 28(1), 11–20. https://doi.org/10.1192/bja.2021.12

Kocabaş, D., Karaçar, Y., & Barçin, N. E. (2025). The effect of psychological resilience and self-efficacy on caregiver burden: A cross-sectional study among caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease. Nursing Open, 12(8), e70288. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.70288

Kummabutr, J., Buaboon, N., & Kaewsriwong, S. (2025). Factors predicting resilience among caregivers of people with chronic illness: A cross-sectional study of Thai caregivers. Belitung Nursing Journal, 11(3), 305–313. https://doi.org/10.33546/bnj.3711

Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. Springer.

Maqsood, A., Gul, S., Noureen, N., & Yaswi, A. (2024). Dynamics of perceived stress, stress appraisal, and coping strategies in an evolving educational landscape. Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland), 14(7), 532. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14070532

McKenna, O., Fakolade, A., Cardwell, K., Langlois, N., Jiang, K., & Pilutti, L. A. (2022). Towards conceptual convergence: A systematic review of psychological resilience in family caregivers of persons living with chronic neurological conditions. Health Expectations, 25(1), 4–37. https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.13374

Rohayati, R., & Pradana, A. A. (2025). Factors associated with resilience family caregiver of patients with dementia. Journal Keperawatan Komprehensif (Comprehensive Nursing Journal), 11(1), 72–79. https://doi.org/10.33755/jkk.v11i1.792

Suvanayos, C. (2025). Psychiatric nursing: People with dementia and their caregivers. Nantapan Printing.

Syawalia, A. S., Yulianti, E., Lestari, P., & Widajanti, N. (2025). Resilience among dementia caregivers: A literature review. International Journal of Scientific Advances, 6(6), 1203–1208. https://doi.org/10.51542/ijscia.v6i6.32

Tan, K. P., Ang, J. K., Koh, E. B. Y., Pang, N. T. P., & Mat Saher, Z. (2023). Relationship of psychological flexibility and mindfulness to caregiver burden, and depressive and anxiety symptoms in caregivers of people with dementia. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(5), 4232. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054232

Teahan, Á., Lafferty, A., McAuliffe, E., Phelan, A., O'Sullivan, L., O'Shea, D., & Fealy, G. (2018). Resilience in family caregiving for people with dementia: A systematic review. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 33(12), 1582–1595. https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.4972

Umpimai, N., Sangon, S., & Nintachan, P. (2025). Factors influencing psychological distress in caregivers of people with dementia. Healthcare, 13(13), 1582. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13131582

Watchararotchanasakul, W., Suvanayos, C., & Phatarasakul, P. (2024). Effect of the resilience enhancing program on stress among family caregivers of persons with dementia. Journal of Nursing and Health Science Research, 16(2), e271031. https://he01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/unc/article/view/e271031

World Health Organization. (2026). Dementia. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dementia