The emotional cost of caregiving by family members for cognitively impaired elders is one of increasing interest in light of the aging US population. Few studies have examined the fate of these individuals when their caregiving responsibilities cease with the death of their relative. The data used for this analysis were part of a 6-year longitudinal study of caregivers for relatives with dementia. The sample consisted of a subgroup of caregivers who became bereaved over the course of the study (n=291) and participated in post-bereavement interviews up to five years after the death of their relative. A semi-parametric, group-based method using a latent class mixture model yielded four distinctive pathways of depression following bereavement among this sample. Two paths emerged indicating a low level of depression that remained stable over time; in contrast, one trajectory indicated a high level of depression that decreased, while a fourth indicated that moderate symptoms of depression increased for some caregivers over time. Preliminary analyses of covariates of these depression trajectories have implicated several select caregiver characteristics and expressions of related depressive symptomatology in these trajectories. In particular, gender, caregiver type (spouse or adult child), age, and socioeconomic status (employment, income and years of education) have been identified as prospective factors related to the depression trajectories as well as selected expressions of grieving related to loss of the relative. These findings have implications for identifying the both risk and protective factors related to course of depression following prolonged caregiving activities and subsequent disengagement from the caregiver role.
Learning Objectives: The current analysis suggests that the psychological toll of both caregiving responsibilities and care-recipient death is complex and varied. The results of this study will further inform the scientific community about the mental health and well-being of informal family caregivers after the cessation of their care-taking activities.
Keywords: Caregivers, Depression
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.