Profile of High Risk Family Caregivers of Persons with Dementia

Elizabeth W. Gonzalez, PhD, APRN, BC, College of Nursing & Health Professions, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA, Carol F. Lippa, MD, Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA, and Marci Polansky, ScD, MS, MSW, School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Purpose: It is estimated that by 2030, the number of persons with Alzheimer Disease (AD) will double from 4.5 million to 9 million. Currently 1 in 5 person diagnosed with dementia is cared for by family caregivers. Studies have shown that caring for a person with dementia can adversely influence the caregiver’s psychological health through strain, stress, and depression. Furthermore, family caregivers are less likely to engage in preventive health behaviors and may be at increased risk for mortality. The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics, activities, and challenges of high risk women family caregiver of persons with Alzheimer’s disease.

Method: A descriptive comparative design was used. One hundred twenty-one women family caregivers of person diagnosed with AD participated in the study. Family caregivers were interviewed by telephone and responded to a questionnaire that includes demographic information, perceived health, activities, and challenges in caring for a person with dementia. Family caregivers who rated their health as fair or poor and have one diagnosed medical illness were identified as high risk. Family caregivers who rated their health as good or excellent were identified as low risk caregivers. Descriptive statistical analyses, bivariate analyses, and multivariate regression analyses were performed.

Results: Twenty-two percent of family caregivers were high risk. Compared with low risk family caregivers, high risk family caregivers were more likely to have difficulty providing care, to live alone with care recipient, to report that their physical health had suffered since becoming a caregiver, to have financial hardship, to be depressed, to have limited time for themselves, and to have less than 12 years of education.

Conclusions: Interventions should be targeted for high risk family caregivers. Relying on family caregivers without considering the caregiver’s ability to provide care can create an unsafe environment for both caregiver and care recipient.

Learning Objective #1: to identify characteristics of high risk family caregivers who are caring for persons with dementia.
Learning Objective #2: to target appropriate interventions for high risk family caregivers of persons with dementia.