In mild Alzheimer's disease (AD), loss of relationship with the patient is a significant consequence for the partner (relative) and may be amenable to improvement with effective intervention. To evaluate relationship dynamics, the authors developed and tested content and discriminative validity of the self-administered Partner-Patient Questionnaire for Shared Activities among 100 partners of patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. Principal component analysis confirmed that interference in 17 activities derived from the literature and partner-specified activities comprised a relationship factor; internal consistency was very high. Time spent caregiving, care-giver esteem, lack of family support, and impact on partner health and activities were significant predictors of the Partner-Patient Questionnaire for Shared Activities, but the patient's cognitive and mood states were not. The Partner-Patient Questionnaire for Shared Activities warrants additional psychometric testing as a measure of Alzheimer's disease outcome.
Kuhn DR, Ortigara A, Farran CJ. A continuum of care in Alzheimer's disease. Adv Pract Nurs Q. 1997;2(4):15-21.
2.
Walker RJ, Pomeroy EC. Depression or grief? The experience of caregivers of people with dementia. Health Soc Work. 1996;21:247-254.
3.
Farran CJ, Keane-Hagerty E, Salloway S, Kupferer S, Wilken CS. Finding meaning: an alternative paradigm for Alzheimer's disease family caregivers. Gerontologist. 1991;31:483-489.
4.
Loos C, Bowd A. Caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease: some neglected implications of the experience of personal loss and grief. Death Stud. 1997;21:501-514.
5.
Ponder RJ, Pomeroy EC. The grief of caregivers: how pervasive is it?J Gerontol Social Work. 1996;27:3-21.
6.
Meuser TM, Marwit SJ. A comprehensive, stage-sensitive model of grief in dementia caregiving. Gerontologist. 2001; 41:658-670.
7.
Furlini L. The parent they knew and the “new” parent: daughters' perceptions of dementia of the Alzheimer's type. Home Health Care Serv Q. 2001;20(1):21-38.
8.
Perry J. Wives giving care to husbands with Alzheimer's disease: a process of interpretive caring. Res Nurs Health. 2002;25:307-316.
9.
Moyle W, Edwards H, Clinton M. Living with loss: dementia and the family caregiver. Aust J Adv Nurs. 2002;19(3):25-31.
10.
Theut SK, Jordan L, Ross LA, Deutsch SI. Caregiver's anticipatory grief in dementia: a pilot study. Int J Aging Hum Dev. 1991;33:113-118.
11.
Marwit SJ, Meuser TM. Development and initial validation of an inventory to assess grief in caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease. Gerontologist. 2002;42(6):751-765.
12.
Folstein MF, Folstein SE, McHugh PR. “Mini-Mental State”: a practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician. J Psychiatr Res. 1975;12:189-198.
13.
Alden D, Austin C, Sturgeon R. A correlation between the GDS long and short forms. J Gerontol. 1989;44:124-125.
14.
Reilly MC, Zbrozek AS, Dukes EM. The validity and reproducibility of a work productivity and activity impairment instrument. Pharmacoeconomics. 1993;4:353-365.
15.
Reilly Associates. WPAI references. Available at: http://www.reillyassociates.net/WPAI_References.html.
16.
Clipp EC, Moore MJ. Caregiver time use: an outcome measure in clinical trial research on Alzheimer's disease. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1995;58:228-236.
17.
Marin DB, Dugue M, Schmeidler J, et al. The Caregiver Activity Survey (CAS): longitudinal validation of an instrument that measures time spent caregiving for individuals with Alzheimer's disease. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2000; 15:680-686.
18.
Given CW, Given B, Stommel M, Collins C, King S, Franklin S. The Caregiver Reaction Assessment (CRA) caregivers to persons with chronic physical and mental impairments. Res Nurs Health. 1992;15:271-283.
19.
Cronbach LJ. Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests. Psychometrika. 1951;16:297-334.
20.
Pearlin L, Mullen J, Semple S, Skaff M. Caregiving and the stress process: an overview of concepts and their measures. Gerontologist. 1990;30:583-594.
21.
Weitzner MA, McMillan SC, Jacobson PB. Family care-giver quality of life: differences between curative and palliative cancer treatment settings. J Pain Symptom Manage. 1999;17:418-428.
22.
Annerstedt L, Elmstahl S, Ingvad B, Samuelsson S. Family caregiving in dementia: an analysis of the caregiver's burden and the “breaking point” when home care becomes inadequate. Scand J Public Health. 2000;28:23-31.
23.
Williamson GM, Shaffer DR, Schulz R. Activity restriction and prior relationship history as contributors to mental health outcomes among middle-aged and older spousal caregivers. Health Psychol. 1998;17:152-162.
24.
Joyce J, Leese M, Szmukler G. The Experience of Caregiving Inventory: further evidence. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2000;35:185-189.
25.
Noelker LS, Townsend AL. Perceived caregiving effectiveness: the impact of parental impairment, community resources, and caregiver characteristics. In: Brubaker TH, ed. Aging, Health and Family: Long-term Care. Newbury Park, Calif: Sage; 1987:58-79.
26.
Platt S. Measuring the burden of psychiatric illness on the family: an evaluation of some rating scales. Psychol Med. 1985;15:383-393.
27.
Lawton M, Kleban M, Moss M, Rovine M, Glickman A. Measuring caregiving appraisal. J Gerontol Psychol Sci. 1989;44: 61-71.
28.
Pasacreta JV, McCorkle R. Cancer care: impact of interventions on caregiver outcomes. Annu Rev Nurs Res. 2000;18:127-148.
29.
Butcher H, Holkup P, Buckwalter WJ. The experience of caring for a family member with Alzheimer's disease. Nurs Res. 2001;23(1):33-55.
30.
Picot SJ, Youngblut J, Zeller R. Development and testing of a measure of perceived caregiver rewards in adults. J Nurs Meas. 1997;5(1):33-52.
31.
Berg-Weger M, Rubio DM, Tebb SS. The Caregiver Well-Being Scale revisited. Health Soc Work. 2000;25:255-263.
32.
Baumgarten M. Health of persons giving care to the demented elderly: a critical review of the literature. J Clin Epidemiol. 1989;42:1137-1148.
33.
Harvey RJ. Young Onset Dementia: Epidemiology, Clinical Symptoms, Family Burden, Support and Outcome. London, UK: Dementia Research Group, Imperial College School of Medicine; 1998.
