title: Couples with an elderly parent with Alzheimer's disease: perceptions of familial relationships.
abstract: This study examined family relationships in families with and without an elderly parent with Alzheimer's disease. Spouses (29 pairs with an Alzheimer's diseased parent; 29 pairs with a healthy elderly parent) completed questionnaires regarding their perceived relationships with each other, their parent, and one of their own children (aged 8-18). In addition, they completed surveys that inquired about feelings of burden regarding the target parent. Couples perceived a poorer relationship with parents with Alzheimer's disease when contrasted to couples who had a healthy elderly parent. In addition, wives with an Alzheimer's parent also tended to have a more negative relationship with their husbands than wives who had a healthy parent. Perceptions of burden were associated with poorer spousal relationships for wives but not husbands.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Illinois State University, Normal 61761.
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Creasey
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Myers
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Epperson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006701:Home Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D012944:Social Support