The impact of caring for a spouse with a progressive dementia on caregiver's health behaviors and health status was examined. Data collected from 44 spouse caregivers indicates that:
• Providing full-time care interferes with preventive health behaviors (eating nutritiously, exercising) and contributes to high risk behaviors (overeating, alcohol and substance use);
• Health behaviors are frequently used as coping strategies;
• Caregivers rated their own health as poorer than their spouse's health; and
• Disabling (arthritis, cardiac and back problems) and stress-related health problems (migraines, colitis) are a consequence of and interfere with care provision.
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