Caregiving Affects Memory and Control
Author Information
Author(s): Valerie Luskey, William Zimbinski, Michael Buxton, Hannah Apostolou, M Lindsey Jacobs
Primary Institution: University of Alabama
Hypothesis
Increased caregiving hours negatively impact the care recipient's hopelessness and working memory.
Conclusion
Caregiving can lead to increased hopelessness and decreased working memory in care recipients.
Supporting Evidence
- Increased caregiving hours were linked to higher hopelessness in care recipients.
- Higher hopelessness was associated with lower working memory in the care recipient.
- Increased caregiving led to decreased perceived control.
Takeaway
Taking care of someone can make them feel more hopeless and hurt their memory. If caregivers get more help, it might make things better.
Methodology
Data from the Health and Retirement Study was analyzed using mediation analysis.
Limitations
Participants with Alzheimer's or Dementia were excluded, and depression was not included in the model.
Participant Demographics
Participants were predominantly female (59.5%) with an average age of 71.14 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p=0.004
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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