Caregiver cognitive status and potentially harmful caregiver behavior

Abstract

The association between caregiver cognitive status and potentially harmful caregiver behavior was assessed in a sample of 180 caregiver-care recipient dyads. Compromised cognitive status was identified in 39% of these informal caregivers. Beyond variance explained by demographic factors, amount of care provided, care recipient cognitive status, and caregiver depressed affect, care recipients reported more frequently being subjected to potentially harmful caregiver behavior when their caregivers evidenced compromised cognitive status. While preliminary, critical areas of caregiver cognition appeared to be deficits in language comprehension and memory. Results indicate that compromised cognitive status is common among informal caregivers of impaired elders and that this may adversely influence the quality of care they provide.

Acknowledgements

The Family Relationships in Late Life Project was conducted in the Department of Psychology at the University of Georgia (L. S. Miller and C. E. Lance, co-investigators), in collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh (R. Schulz, co-investigator) and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (M. F. Weiner, co-investigator). The study was supported by the National Institute on Aging (AG15321, G. M. Williamson, principal investigator). Manuscript preparation was facilitated by a fellowship from the Institute for Behavioral Research at the University of Georgia to G. M. Williamson.