Resilience and transitions from dementia caregiving

J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2007 Jan;62(1):P38-44. doi: 10.1093/geronb/62.1.p38.

Abstract

Longitudinal studies have documented how dementia caregivers adapt to their role. Less is known about how resilience (defined as lower or higher perceived burden in the face of frequent care demands) affects key dementia caregiving outcomes. The present study utilized data from 1,979 dementia caregivers over a 3-year period to ascertain whether resilience influences transitions from dementia caregiving, such as institutionalization, care recipient death, or loss to follow-up. Multinomial logistic regression models revealed that high baseline resilience (low burden, high care demands) was associated with less frequent institutionalization and loss to follow-up as well as more frequent care recipient mortality. The findings suggest the need for researchers to capture the heterogeneity of caregiver resilience when examining the longitudinal implications of informal long-term care and delivering clinical interventions.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Activities of Daily Living / classification
  • Activities of Daily Living / psychology
  • Adaptation, Psychological*
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Alzheimer Disease / mortality
  • Alzheimer Disease / nursing
  • Alzheimer Disease / psychology*
  • Bereavement*
  • Caregivers / psychology*
  • Case Management
  • Cost of Illness*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Home Nursing / psychology
  • Humans
  • Institutionalization*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Relief Work
  • Self Efficacy
  • Social Support
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Survival Rate
  • United States