Navigating the COVID‐19 pandemic together: Discussions between persons with early‐stage dementia and their adult children

• Published in: International journal of geriatric psychiatry Vol. 38; no. 3; pp. e5905 - n/a
• Main Authors: Ali, Talha, Mroz, Emily L., Valeika, Sarah, Mendez, Erika N., Cohen, Andrew B., Monin, Joan K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.03.2023
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adult Children; Caregivers - psychology; Children; COVID-19; COVID-19 - epidemiology; Dementia; Dementia - epidemiology; Dementia - psychology; Dementia disorders; Emotions; family dynamics; Geriatric psychiatry; Humans; mutual coping; pandemic; Pandemics; Parents & parenting; pandemic; family dynamics; mutual coping
• ISSN: 0885-6230; 1099-1166
• DOI: 10.1002/gps.5905

Objectives Studies have separately examined the health impacts of the COVID‐19 pandemic on persons with dementia and their caregivers. Less attention has been paid to the social and emotional impacts of the pandemic in this population or how these individuals are mutually coping with the pandemic. Guided by the social citizenship theory, this qualitative study sought to characterize how persons with dementia and their adult children are coping during this time with a focus on the strengths demonstrated by persons with dementia. Methods Participants were 43 dyads of individuals aged 55 and older with early‐stage dementia and their adult children. Discussions between parent‐child dyads were recorded. Using reflexive thematic analysis, themes related to social and emotional impacts of the pandemic and coping strategies were identified. Results Adult children shared with their parents how the pandemic resulted in reduced social engagement and challenging work arrangements. Dyads described how the pandemic positively impacted their relationship, allowing some of them to spend more time together. In coping with the pandemic, adult children provided instrumental support to their parents and parents reciprocated with emotional support. Participants also coped by making meaning of their situation during discussions. Conclusions Findings characterize the resilience of persons with dementia and the mutuality of the relationship between both members of the care partner dyad, as both parents and adult children offered support to one another. Facilitating dyadic discussions may be a cost‐effective way to sustain social connections and offer ongoing coping support through the pandemic or other challenging circumstances. Key Points Open‐ended dyadic discussions between persons with dementia and their care partners are helpful for understanding not only the most salient challenges faced by these individuals but also coping strategies adopted by these individuals to respond to their challenges; persons with dementia demonstrated resilience and active coping skills during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Persons with dementia and their adult children reported a reduction in social engagement in their personal and work lives as well as changes in relationship quality with their spouses during this time; open‐ended discussions allowed participants to also acknowledge unintended positive consequences of the pandemic such as the ability to spend more quality time with one another. Persons with dementia and their adult children responded to challenges by engaging in reciprocal exchange of different kinds of social support; by making meaning of their situation through downward social comparison, finding benefit in their difficult circumstances, and expressing hope for the future; and by using communication strategies to support one another. Allowing for dyadic discussions is an easy and cost‐effective way to allow persons with dementia and their care partners to practice positive psychological adjustment during public health crises.