Pain in Persons with Dementia and the Direct and Indirect Impacts on Caregiver Burden

Overview

Journal Geriatr Nurs

Specialty Nursing

Date 2021 Feb 11

PMID 33571930

Citations 3

Authors

Natalie G Regier

Janiece L Taylor

Sarah L Szanton

Patricia A Parmelee

Nancy Perrin

Minhui Liu

Emerald Jenkins

Nancy A Hodgson

Laura N Gitlin

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objectives: Unresolved pain is related to neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) in persons living with dementia (PLWD), and an increase in NPS is distressing for PLWD and their caregivers. Hence, we examined whether pain in PLWD was related to caregiver burden and whether caregiver upset with NPS mediated this relationship.

Method: We examined, cross-sectionally, the relationships among pain in PLWD, caregiver burden, and upset with NPS. Data from 272 PLWD and their caregivers who participated in the Advancing Caregiver Training (ACT) trial were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM).

Results: Model fit was satisfactory, and caregiver upset with NPS fully mediated the association between pain in PLWD and caregiver burden.

Conclusion: Caregiver upset with NPS helps explain the relationship between pain in PLWD and burden in their caregivers. Pain and NPS are amenable to modification, as is caregiver burden, suggesting great opportunity to impact the lives of PLWD and their caregivers.

Citing Articles

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