Psychological predictors of ‘living well’ with dementia: findings from the IDEAL study

Abstract

Objectives: Increasingly, research has explored how psychological resources enable adaptation to illness. However, it is unclear whether psychological resources protect against the potential negative effects on living well with a progressive and life-limiting condition such as dementia. This paper examines the association between psychological resources and the ability to 'live well' with dementia. Method: Data from 1547 people with mild-to-moderate dementia in the Improving the experience of Dementia and Enhancing Active Life (IDEAL) cohort were used. Multivariate linear regression was employed to examine the association between self-reported measures of psychological resources (self-efficacy, optimism and self-esteem) and indices of capability to 'live well' (quality of life, well-being and life satisfaction). Results: All three measures of psychological resources had positive and independent associations with indices of living well and the effect sizes were similar. Effect sizes reduced when accounting for shared variance between psychological resources, showing some overlap in these constructs. Conclusion: Self-efficacy, optimism and self-esteem were each associated with capability to 'live well'. Overlap between these three resources is evident and when combined they may provide greater resilience when dealing with the challenges of living with dementia. Interventions for people with dementia could seek to improve levels of these potentiallymodifiable psychological resources.

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“…We observed that a lack of meaningful activity during the pandemic was coupled with a loss of self-worth among people with dementia—something associated with ‘living well’ [ 12 ]. Other researchers have found that meaningful activity can preserve dignity and a sense of identity [ 13 ].…”

Measuring the well-being of people with dementia: a conceptual scoping review

“…Whilst many studies demonstrate that people with dementia can give reliable accounts of their life using existing dementia-specific QoL/HRQoL self-report instruments [1,2], such measures do not capture the full range of psychosocial outcomes that people with dementia themselves consider important, such as autonomy [3]. Recent studies on how people with dementia might live well with the condition indicate that asset-based factors such as self-efficacy and humour contribute significantly to overall well-being [4,5]. These factors are closely aligned to the concept of well-being but are not fully captured by traditional Qol/HRQoL instruments.…”

A Comparative Study on Factors Influencing Preventive Behavior of Dementia between Elders Attending Dementia Care Village Senior Centers and Elders Attending General Senior Centers in Korea

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