Dementia Caregivers' Most Pressing Concerns

Figures & data

TABLE 1 Characteristics of caregivers (N = 165)

Characteristic	Value
Age (years)	64.7 (13.5)
Sex (% female)	78.4
Race (% black)	38.3
Marital Status (% married)	70.7
Income ($K)	25.0 (15.0)
Education (0–17 years)	12.9 (2.5)
Relationship (%)
Spouse	50.3
Child	34.7
Other	15.0
Caregiving (years)	4.1 (3.9)
CES-D (0–60)	13.0 (10.9)
Notes: Subject characteristics are M (SD) or percent.
CES-D = Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale.

TABLE 2 Characteristics of care recipients (N = 165)

Characteristic	Value
Age (years)	80.5 (7.9)
Sex (% female)	55.1
Race (% Black)	39.5
Education (0–17 years)	10.6 (3.6)
ADL (0–6)	3.2 (2.0)
IADL (0–8)	7.4 (1.1)
MMSE (0–30)	11.3 (7.1)
Notes: Subject characteristics are M (SD) or percent.
ADL and IADL = Activities of Daily Living and Instrumental ADL;
MMSE = Mini-Mental State Exam.

TABLE 3 Behavior topics selected by caregivers (N = 165)

Topic	% Requesting	Topic	% Requesting
Activities	34.6	Environmental Safety	9.7
Combativeness	28.5	Traveling	9.7
Communication	26.1	Shadowing	8.5
Confusion	26.1	Telling the Patient/Others	7.9
Eating	18.8	Depression (CR)	7.3
Incontinence	18.2	Dental Care	6.7
Nutrition	15.8	Driving	6.7
Wandering	15.8	Medications	5.5
Bathing	13.9	Hospitalization	4.9
Feelings (CR)	12.7	Visiting	4.9
Sleeping	12.7	Sexuality (CR)	3.0
Hallucinations	11.5	Holidays (CR)	2.4
Dressing	10.9
Note: CR = care recipient.

TABLE 4 Stress and coping topics selected by caregivers (N = 88)

Topic	% Requesting	Topic	% Requesting
Healthy Lifestyle	50.0	Positive Thinking	4.6
Grief	23.9	Sexuality (CG)	4.6
Relaxation	22.7	Assertiveness	3.4
Depression (CG)	19.3	Holidays (CG)	3.4
Adult Day Care	14.8	Making New Friends	3.4
Feelings (CG)	12.5	Problem Solving	1.1
Note: CG = caregiver.