The relationship between caregiver burden and participation in social engagement activities in older adult caregivers of persons with dementia

There are over 55 million individuals with dementia around the world who are supported by a caregiver at some stage. Most persons with dementia (PwD) are cared for by a family member or a friend, referred to as informal caregiver. Thirty percent of these caregivers are over the age of 65 and take on additional responsibilities as the needs of the person they are caring for increase leading to caregiver burden. As the burden of caregiving increases, caregivers experience physical, cognitive, emotional, and social health problems. Social engagement can be a mediating factor to lower caregiver burden and associated health issues; however, there is a paucity of literature on the links between social engagement and caregiver burden especially in older caregivers. Therefore, this study characterized social engagement activities of older adult caregivers of PwD and examined the relationship between caregiver burden and social engagement. Participants included 30 informal caregivers of PwD over the age of 60. These caregivers were recruited from a larger intervention study on social engagement. Data obtained at baseline were used for the purposes of this study. The caregivers completed a comprehensive online assessment that included participant characterization measures, caregiver-related measures, social engagement measures, and a social activity related interview. Results revealed moderate degree of loneliness on the UCLA loneliness scale and a high degree of social isolation on the Friendship scale. Overall, caregivers participated less frequently in group social activities although they rated it as their favorite. Serving as a caregiver for more than 5 years was significantly correlated with loneliness and social isolation. Furthermore, higher caregiver burden was associated with higher levels of social isolation. Healthcare professionals should not only learn about the impact of caregiver burden on social health of caregivers but should educate caregivers on the importance of finding ways to connect with others socially to minimize the negative impact on their health and well-being.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Speech & Hearing Science

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2024

Author dc:creator

• Jones, Sarah

Contributors dc:contributor

• Mudar, Raksha A
• Rogers, Wendy A
• Raj, Minakshi

• Family Caregiver
• Dementia
• Social Engagement
• Older Adult

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2024 Sarah Jones

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/125576

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F125576