Dementia Caregiving and Dialectical Tensions During the Early Days of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Caregiving for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease or related dementia presents significant challenges which were amplified throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, care partners were forced to navigate uncertain terrain as well as new and challenging relational tensions. This study investigated the experiences of dementia care partners and the relational tensions present as they managed the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic using Relational Dialectics Theory framework. By analyzing recorded support groups from the early days of the pandemic (April through June, 2020), we identified two chief tensions expressed by participants throughout their support groups: connection—independence and gratitude—frustration. Participants experienced these tensions in different ways, and they engaged in four tension management strategies (selection, minimization, reframing, and venting and comradery) through the support group. As the pandemic progressed, participants’ tension management evolved, highlighting the complexity inherent in caring for a person with dementia during the COVID-19 pandemic.