Everyone needs to feel appreciated — but especially someone who’s caring for a spouse with dementia.

A study published recently in the journal Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology shows that the mental health of caregivers dramatically improves when they feel supported, understood and appreciated by the person they’re looking after.

Feeling appreciated was so important it even helped boost caregivers who are unhappy in their marriage, results show.

“We found that it’s not just general feelings about the marital relationship but also the perceived responsiveness and support from their spouse that profoundly impact caregivers’ well-being,” said lead researcher Vincent Lai, a graduate student in psychological sciences at Rice University in Houston.

“Even though marriages can change dramatically when one spouse has dementia, feeling valued and understood can make a significant difference in a relationship,” Lai added in a university news release.

For the study, researchers recruited 161 caregivers and quizzed them on their marriages, the responsiveness of their partner and symptoms of depression. 

Results showed that caregivers with lower satisfaction in their marriages tended to have significantly worse mental and physical health.

However, if the partner with dementia shows appreciation for their caregivers’ efforts, this acknowledgement goes some way toward helping their mental health, researchers found.

This study looked at caregivers’ current perceptions of their marriages, however, and didn’t include assessments of how healthy the marriage was prior to their loved one’s diagnosis with dementia.

Future studies will look into whether marital satisfaction prior to a dementia diagnosis plays a role in caregiver health, researchers said.

“We’re particularly interested in how caregivers’ perceptions evolve over time,” said researcher Chris Fagundes, a professor of psychological sciences at Rice.

“Our next steps include studying couples starting from the initial dementia diagnosis to better understand how relationship dynamics shift and how we might intervene early to support caregivers,” Fagundes said.

Researchers said they hope this research will help in the development of programs to support caregivers, by better understanding the mental and physical toll that caregiving takes as well as whatever steps can relieve the pressure.

“By understanding the interplay between relationship quality and health, we can create better support systems for caregivers, ensuring they are not only providing care but also receiving the care they need,” Lai concluded.

More information

The National Institutes of Health has more on caregiver support.

SOURCE: Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology, journal; Rice University, news release, Dec. 18, 2024

Source: HealthDay

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