Differences in Family Dementia Caregiver Needs and Preferences Across the Lifespan

Background

The majority of family dementia caregivers in the United States (U.S.) are now young and middle-aged adults. However, little research has been conducted to understand how caregiver needs and preferences for support differ depending on their phase of adulthood. This study evaluated differences in mental health, caregiving readiness, desired supports, and intervention preferences among early (<46 years), middle (46–60 years), and late (>60 years) adulthood dementia caregivers.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 202 family dementia caregivers aged 22 to 88. Caregivers completed validated measures of burden, anxiety, depression, well-being, time pressure, dementia knowledge, caregiving preparedness, and positive aspects of caregiving. Desired supports and preferences for intervention format, program type, and frequency were assessed. Analyses examined both categorical adulthood phase and continuous age associations with caregiver outcomes, with alpha thresholds of p<.05.

Results

Early adulthood caregivers self-reported higher anxiety symptoms (relative to late adulthood caregivers) and perceived time pressure (relative to middle and late adulthood caregivers). Relative to late adulthood caregivers only, early adulthood caregivers more frequently endorsed desired support for supplemental care and safety tools for the person with dementia, as well as willingness to engage in individual counseling and automated, digital supports. Relative to both middle adulthood and late adulthood caregivers, they also more frequently expressed desired support for their own mental health.

Conclusions

Dementia caregiving in early adulthood is associated with distinct psychological and practical support needs, suggesting life course–informed interventions may enhance relevance and engagement.

Key Points

• Interventions to support dementia caregiver mental health and burden have historically overlooked the quickly growing contingent of early to middle adulthood, non-spousal caregivers. This paper addresses a critical gap in our understanding of mental health, caregiving readiness, desired supports, and intervention preferences among these cohorts.

• Early adulthood dementia caregivers report greater anxiety, perceived time pressure, desire for mental health and supplemental care support, and willingness to engage in digital support interventions.

• Effective interventions for mental health and caregiving readiness among dementia caregivers should address distinct practical and psychological support needs and preferences across different phases of adulthood.