Scholarly Works, Center for Gerontology

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https://hdl.handle.net/10919/111733

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Browsing Scholarly Works, Center for Gerontology by Subject "Acquired Cognitive Impairment"

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    Extended Family Caregivers for Persons Living With Dementia
    Roberto, Karen A.; Savla, Jyoti S. (SAGE, 2022-11-01)
    Despite changes in the structure of contemporary families, little is known about extended family members—siblings, grandchildren, nieces/nephews, stepkin—who are primary caregivers for a relative living with dementia. Information about these caregivers is needed to help ensure their needs are understood by providers in health care and social service settings. The focus of this research was on the care situations of extended family caregivers and the impact of caregiving on their health and well-being. In Study 1, data from the National Study of Caregiving were used to describe the experiences of 107 extended family caregivers. In Study 2, case study techniques elicited additional information about the experiences of 10 extended family caregivers. Collectively, these caregivers provide care with little or no formal support and occasional help from a small informal network. Caregiving affected their physical and emotional health, depending on the strength of the relationship between the caregiver and the person living with dementia and the type of care provided. Findings contribute new knowledge about extended family caregivers and highlight the important role extended family dementia caregivers play and the challenges they face.
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    Subjective Memory Decline Predicts Incident Cognitive Impairment among White -- but Not Black or Hispanic -- Older Adults
    Ferraro, Kenneth F.; Sauerteig-Rolston, Madison R.; Barnes, Lisa L.; Friedman, Elliot; Sands, Laura P.; Thomas, Patricia A. (Oxford University Press, 2022-06-18)
    Background and objectives: This study investigates whether subjective memory decline in a racially diverse sample of older adults without cognitive impairment at baseline is associated with incident cognitive impairment during a 12-year follow-up period. Research design and methods: With panel data from a national sample (N=9,244) of cognitively-intact Black, White, and Hispanic Americans 65 years or older in 2004, we examine if subjective memory decline is associated with the loss of normal cognition by 2016. Cognitive status was assessed every two years with a modified version of the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status to identify the transition from normal cognition to cognitive impairment. Results: Estimates from Weibull accelerated failure-time models reveal that subjective memory decline is associated with earlier incident cognitive impairment (time ratio = 0.96, p<.05). In subsequent models stratified by race-ethnicity, this association was evident among White respondents (time ratio = 0.95, p<.01) but not among Black, US-born Hispanic, or foreign-born Hispanic respondents. Discussion and implications: Given that the prognostic validity of subjective memory decline differs by race and ethnicity, caution is warranted when using it as a screening or clinical tool in diverse populations.