The Two-Track Model of Dementia Grief and spousal response to illness and death

Abstract

This cross-sectional study examined the experiences of healthy spouses caring for their partners via the Two-Track Model of Dementia Grief thereby broadening our understanding of the functional and relational aspects of this process. The 122 participating older adults had spouses drawn from four groups: mild to moderate cognitive-impairment; advanced cognitive-impairment; deceased following dementia; and, healthy controls. They completed a battery of self-report measures. Results showed elevated scores on both tracks of the model for all affected groups. Assisting spouses of those living with cognitive-impairment begins with the earliest symptoms of decline and continues after the death of the loved one.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank “Association of Israelis of Central European Origin”; “Beit Avraham,” Haifa; “Beth Juliana,” Herzliya; “Bayit Bakfar,” Kfar Saba; “EMDA”—The Alzheimer’s Association of Israel; Hala Bibar, Sujoud Saqer and Dr. Hend Yasien-Esmael for their assistance.