NBSP;
Alzheimer's and Dementia Counseling and Education: call Cindy Keith of M.I.N.D. in Memory Care at (814)-235-0691, or e-mail at keithc@mindinmemorycare.com
Moving In Nurturing Directions
in Memory Care
Dementia Information
Friday, May 14, 2010
INCREASED RISK FOR DEMENTIA IN SPOUSE CAREGIVERS
This was a relatively small study, with 1,221 married couples who were followed over a period of 12 years. They were age 65 and older, all living in Northern Utah. None of them had dementia at the start of the study, and adjustments were made in the study for socioeconomic status, age, gender, genetic factors, etc. In follow-up, "30 cases (60 individuals) of dementia were diagnosed in both spouses, plus 125 where only the husband developed it, and 70 where only the wife developed the condition."
They found that for male caregivers of a spouse with dementia, their risk for developing a dementia was 11.9 times higher, and for women, it was 3.7 times higher. What we don't know is just how much of this risk is due to caregiver stress, and how much the shared environment played a part in it.
Something we need to keep in mind while looking at these numbers, is that MOST of the participants with spouses who developed dementia, did NOT go on to develop dementia themselves.
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Cindy Keith, RN, BS,
Nationally Known Speaker Phone 814-235-0691 Fax 814-235-0695 Email: www.mindinmemorycare.com |
