Characteristics and Correlates of Perceived Physical and Psychological Health Among Family Caregivers Living With Persons With Advanced Dementia

Abstract

Background:

Various factors drive a care setting shift from institutional to home settings for dementia care until the latest stage of the disease, suggesting the critical role of family caregivers living with persons with dementia.

Objectives:

This study explored the characteristics and correlates of self-reported overall physical and psychological (ie, depressive symptoms and stress) health among family caregivers living with persons with dementia in Sweden.

Methods:

This cross-sectional, descriptive study used baseline data from an existing music-based intervention study of persons with dementia and their family caregivers (N = 76). Multivariable linear regression analyses were performed.

Results:

On average, caregivers (n = 38; mean age: 74.8 years) were slightly younger than persons with dementia (n = 38; mean age: 78.6 years). Most caregivers were female (n = 24; 63.2%) and spouses or partners of persons with dementia (n = 37; 97.4%). Caregivers’ perceived relationship with their family members with dementia was the only factor associated with caregivers’ self-reported overall physical health (b = −0.655, p = .046). This suggests caregivers’ more frequent feeling of a good relationship with the persons with dementia was linked to better self-rated physical health among family caregivers living with persons with dementia.

Conclusions:

This study highlights the importance of family caregivers’ perceived relationship with persons with dementia in the context of caregivers’ self-reported physical health. Future research is needed to explore the perceived relationship from the perspectives of persons with dementia and the determinants of caregiving dyads’ (persons with dementia and family caregivers) perceived relationship with each other.