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Is it all bleak? A systematic review of factors contributing to relationship change in dementia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 April 2018

Erin R. Conway ,
Brittany Watson ,
Gemma Tatangelo  and
Marita McCabe
Erin R. Conway*
Affiliation:
School of Allied Health, Australian Catholic University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Brittany Watson
Affiliation:
Institute for Health and Ageing, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Gemma Tatangelo
Affiliation:
Institute for Health and Ageing, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Marita McCabe
Affiliation:
Institute for Health and Ageing, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Erin R. Conway, School of Allied Health, Australian Catholic University, Brisbane, QLD 4014, Australia. Phone: +617 36237852. Email: Erin.Conway@acu.edu.au.
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Abstract

Background:

The care of community-dwelling people with dementia often occurs in the context of pre-existing family relationships. The presence of dementia can result in changes to the quality of those relationships. The purpose of this systematic review is to identify factors that enhance or challenge the quality of spousal or offspring relationships in the context of dementia.

Methods:

Both qualitative and quantitative studies were included in a systematic review of the literature. Thematic analysis of results was conducted that examined factors related to the relationship quality of community dwelling people with dementia and their spousal or offspring carer. Meta-analysis was not possible due to the heterogeneity of the included studies.

Results:

Four themes were extracted from seven qualitative studies: connection to the carer role; identity of the people with dementia; current efforts to maintain relationship connection; and the dyads response to dementia. Each of these four themes incorporated positive and negative facets that impacted on relationship quality. An analysis of nine quantitative and one mixed methods studies identified four domains: influence of dementia characteristics; connection within the dyad; relationship response to stress and carer burden; and carer demographic factors.

Conclusions:

The findings of this review highlight relationship factors that are important for supporting relationship quality for the people with dementia and the carer individually, as well as for the dyad together. These findings extend an existing framework of relationship quality in dementia. Implications for interventions to enhance relationship quality in the dementia context are discussed.

Keywords

relationship qualitydementiadementia caregivingcommunity-dwellinginformal care
Type
Review Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 30 , Special Issue 11: Social Aspects of Dementia and Dementia Practice , November 2018 , pp. 1619 - 1637
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2018 

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