ArticleJournal of the American Geriatrics Society2023
"Out of the clear blue sky she tells me she loves me": Connection experiences between caregivers and people with dementia.
Article in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed.
- Long-term effects of collaborative dementia care on quality of life and caregiver well-being.Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2025Trial
- Positive and Negative Appraisals and Quality of Life Among Family Caregivers of Adults With Formal Long-Term Care Needs: An Exploration of Model Using Structural Equation Modelling.Journal of clinical nursing · 2026Article
- Caregivers' positive emotional language predicts their depression trajectories after dementia caregiving ends.The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences · 2026Article
- Exploring relative health spillover effects within the context of dementia using the EQ-HWB-9.Health and quality of life outcomes · 2026Article
- Article
- Caregiving in the face of empathy loss in Frontotemporal Dementia: an integrative review.Aging & mental health · 2025Review
- Resilience in family caregivers of Asian older people with dementia: An integrative review.Journal of advanced nursing · 2025Review
- A palliative care goals model for people with dementia and their family: Consensus achieved in an international Delphi study.Palliative medicine · 2024Article
- Shared Activities as a Protective Factor Against Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia and Caregiver Stress.Innovation in aging · 2024Article
- A dementia positive, family-centered question geriatricians can ask caregivers and persons living with dementia.Journal of the American Geriatrics Society · 2023Article
- Cognitive dysfunction and disturbed daily activities of people with dementia impact the psychological stress in family caregivers depending on their anxiety and depression severity.Health psychology openArticle
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Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundDementia can impede the relationship and connection between the person with dementia (PWD) and their caregiver. Yet, caregiving in dementia also offers opportunities for connection, which has implications for caregiver and PWD well-being. In this qualitative study, we describe and characterize ways caregivers felt connected to the person with dementia they care for.
methodsWe conducted a telephone-based survey with caregivers of people with dementia. For this paper, we analyzed responses to an open-ended question focused on when caregivers feel most connected to the person they are caring for. Responses were analyzed and coded and themes were identified through an iterative process involving a multidisciplinary team of researchers and clinicians.
results437 caregivers participated in this study. We identified two domains of connection: activity-based and emotion-based connections. Within activity-based connections, the following themes emerged: everyday activities; reminiscing; activities of caregiving; novel experiences; and time with family and friends. Within emotional connections, the following themes emerged: expressions of love, appreciation, and gratitude; physical affection; sharing an emotion or emotional experience; and times when the PWD seems like "themself" again.
conclusionsFindings provide insights into ways caregivers experience a sense of connection with the person they care for. There is a call to shift away from focusing on reducing stress and toward optimizing positive experiences as a way to better support caregivers' health and well-being. Interventions that leverage these insights to foster caregiver - PWD connection could lead to better health and well-being for both members of the dyad. The amplification of a positive experience may be particularly important for caregivers who are struggling with limited support or respite. Clinicians may be interested in using a question about connection as a way to more fully understand a caregiver's current experience.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.