The impact of care–recipient relationship type on health-related quality of life in community-dwelling older adults with dementia and their informal caregivers

PurposeTo assess whether there was an association between care–recipient relationship type and health-related quality of life (HRQL) of older persons living with dementia (PLWD) and their informal caregivers, and whether this association was affected by PLWD’ dementia severity.MethodsThis was a secondary data analysis study. PLWD (n = 1230) and caregivers (n = 1871) were identified from participants in the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) Round 5 and the National Study of Caregiving (NSOC) II, respectively. A series of bivariate and multivariable regression models examined the associations among relationship type and HRQL in PLWD and caregivers, adjusted for socio-demographic variables and dementia severity.ResultsPLWD and caregivers’ HRQL outcomes varied by relationship type. PLWD cared for by an adult–child caregiver, or multiple caregivers experienced higher functional limitations than those cared for by a spousal caregiver (β = .79, CI [.39, 1.19]; β = .50, CI [.17, .82], respectively). “Other” caregivers, such as extended family members or friends, had lower odds of experiencing negative emotional burden and social strain than spousal caregivers (β = .79, CI [.39, 1.19]; β = .50, CI [.17, .82], respectively). Lower odds of experiencing negative emotional burden were also found with multiple caregivers. The effect of an adult–child caregiver on social strain was no longer significant when the dementia severity of PLWD was included in the analysis.ConclusionThe type of care–recipient relationship impacts the HRQL in both PLWD and their informal caregivers. Dementia severity of the PLWD appears to affect this association.