A new report by Judith Kasper, Vicki Freedman, Brenda Spillman, and Jennifer Wolff quantifies the challenges of family caregiving for older adults with dementia. For example, they found that caregivers living with a family member with dementia provided nearly 50% more hours of help than those who lived with an aging parent without dementia—an average of 143 hours per month (almost 36 hours per week, or nearly the equivalent of a full-time job). The authors conclude: “In light of demographic trends and increases in the numbers of older adults with dementia in the coming years, efforts to better monitor and support older adults and their family caregivers will only grow in importance.”

More about Freedman and colleagues report on family caregiving for older adults with dementia >