[Patients with Alzheimer's disease living alone at home in the cohort of REAL.FR].

OBJECTIVE

Despite the French population's growing, we reported an increasing numbers of older adults living alone and an increasing number of older adults with Alzheimer's disease. Social and medical problems may be exacerbated with subjects with both phenomena. The objective is to identify differences in patterns between persons with dementia who live alone versus living with some people at home.

METHOD: 700 subjects with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease from the French Alzheimer network (REAL.FR). We studied social and demographic feature, nutritional and cognitive statute and a comprehensive geriatric assessment.

RESULTS

In this study, 28% of subjects with probable or possible Alzheimer's disease live alone. They are more likely to be women (p < 0.001) with few physical impairments (p < 0.02). Subject are more frailty: lower incomes, impairment in the nutritional status and balance, and are more likely to use medical and non medical services (p < 0.0001). They are more likely to be malnourished than the others. On the other hand, there is no association between disability's cognitive levels and living alone.

CONCLUSION

We need longitudinal survey to follow up this population to determine predicting factors for keeping them alone at home and to anticipate long-term care placement.