DIFFERENCES IN CAREGIVER GRIEF AND BURDEN BETWEEN DEMENTIA WITH LEWY BODIES, DEMENTIA OF THE ALZHEIMER’S TYPE, AND DEMENTIA ASSOCIATED WITH PARKINSON’S DISEASE

Abstract

Background: Caregiving for dementia has been associated with increased grief and burden. Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) is the second most common form of dementia; yet, extant studies have focused primarily on caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). By result, the current state of the literature overlooks potentially important differences between caregivers of DLB and other dementia types. Caregivers of DLB face unique challenges early in their caregiving role; thus, it is likely that they experience grief and burden at earlier stages than other dementia types. The purpose of the present study was to examine the differences in the experience of grief and burden in caregivers of DLB versus caregivers of AD and Parkinson’s Disease with Dementia (PDD) at different disease stages. Method: Family caregivers of individuals with DLB (n = 415), AD (n = 71), or PDD (n = 66) completed a series of self-report online surveys. Results: Caregivers of DLB reported significantly more grief at earlier stages in the disease course than caregivers of AD. No significant differences in grief were found between caregivers of DLB and PDD. Caregivers for people with DLB, AD, and PDD had very similar profiles for burden. Implications: These findings support the hypothesis that there are differences in the experience of caregiving for those with DLB and other dementia types. More research is needed to investigate other potential differences in the caregiving experience for patients with DLB.