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Well-being in dementia: a cross-sectional dyadic study of the impact of multiple dimensions of strain on persons living with dementia and their family care partners

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 February 2019

Lyndsey M. Miller*
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Layton Aging & Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA School of Nursing, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
Jeffrey A. Kaye
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Layton Aging & Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
Karen S. Lyons
Affiliation:
William F. Connell School of Nursing, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
Christopher S. Lee
Affiliation:
William F. Connell School of Nursing, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
Carol J. Whitlatch
Affiliation:
Center for Research and Education, Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging, Cleveland, OH, USA
Michael S. Caserta
Affiliation:
College of Nursing & Center on Aging, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Lyndsey M. Miller, Oregon Health & Science University, School of Nursing, 3455 SW US Veterans Hospital Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA. Phone: (503) 494-3837; Fax: (503) 494-7499. Email: millerly@ohsu.edu.
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Abstract

Background and Purpose:

The impact of dementia-related stressors and strains have been examined for their potential to threaten the well-being of either the person with dementia or the family care partner, but rarely have studies considered the dyadic nature of well-being in dementia. The purpose of this study was to examine the dyadic effects of multiple dimensions of strain on the well-being of dementia care dyads.

Methods:

Using multilevel modeling to account for the inter-relatedness of individual well-being within dementia care dyads, we examined cross-sectional responses collected from 42 dyads comprised of a hospitalized patient diagnosed with a primary progressive dementia (PWD) and their family care partner (CP). Both PWDs and CPs self-reported on their own well-being using measures of quality of life (QOL-Alzheimer’s Disease scale) and depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale).

Results:

In adjusted models, the PWD’s well-being (higher QOL and lower depressive symptoms) was associated with significantly less strain in the dyad’s relationship. The CP’s well-being was associated with significantly less care-related strain and (for QOL scale) less relationship strain.

Conclusions:

Understanding the impact of dementia on the well-being of PWDs or CPs may require an assessment of both members of the dementia care dyad in order to gain a complete picture of how dementia-related stressors and strains impact individual well-being. These results underscore the need to assess and manage dementia-related strain as a multi-dimensional construct that may include strain related to the progression of the disease, strain from providing care, and strain on the dyad’s relationship quality.

Type
Original Research Article
Copyright
© International Psychogeriatric Association 2019 

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