Premorbid relationship satisfaction and caregiver burden in dementia caregivers.
Dementia caregiver appraisal of the quality of their current and premorbid relationship with the care recipient is associated with caregiving behaviors, caregiver mood, and the decision to end home care. This study examined the contribution of premorbid relationship satisfaction to caregiver burden in dementia caregivers. Live-in dementia caregivers (n = 72) completed several psychosocial measures. Caregiver responses were used to divide them into low premorbid relationship satisfaction group (low) versus high premorbid relationship satisfaction group (high). Results indicate that premorbid relationship satisfaction is negatively associated with caregiver burden and quality of family functioning. Caregivers with high satisfaction demonstrated significantly less burden and less reactivity to memory and behavior problems, and better problem solving skills and more effective communication compared with the low caregivers. Findings are independent of length of caregiving, disease severity, care recipient daily functioning, and relationship type. Relationship satisfaction may be an important contributor to caregiver burden.
Steadman
Pamela Lea
PL
University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI 02903, USA.
Tremont
Geoffrey
G
Davis
Jennifer Duncan
JD
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D004552:Elder Abuse / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010552:Personality Assessment; D012237:Rhode Island