01697nas a2200241   4500000000100000008004100001260007600042653001600118653001500134653001300149653002300162653002000185653001800205100001900223700003200242700001800274245012500292300001200417490000700429520099100436022001401427020001401441       2012                            d  c06/2012bSociedad Española para el Estudio de la Ansiedad y el Estrés10abereavement10acaregivers10aDementia10aEmotional distress10aemotional state10apatient death1 aAna T. Piccini1 aMónica Bernaldo de Quirós1 aMaría Crespo00aEmotional state and bereavement in relatives of people with dementia after the death of the patient: A systematic review  a103-1170 v183 aIn recent years it has been consistently found that caregivers of relatives with dementia suffer health problems and emotional distress during the caregiving period. However, most studies have focused en this stage, paying scarce attention to the impact of the patient s death on their caregivers and to the emotional process from this moment. We present a systematic review of studies that assess the emotional state and grief in relatives of people with dementia after the death of the patient. Results support the relief hypothesis, given the fact that the caregivers  depressive symptoms decreased after the patient s death. However, some caregivers developed a complicated grief associated with certain characteristics (lower education, lower income, depressive and anxiety symptoms, psychotropic use, burden, and perception of positive aspects of caring). Data show the convenience of applying programs focused on teaching caregivers skills to cope with the loss of the loved one.  a1134-7937  a2174-0437