The impact of dementia family caregiving on adolescent well-being: A scoping review

Abstract

With rates of dementia on the rise and upward trends in multigenerational households, the number of families providing care to persons with dementia is likely to increase. Although caregiver stress in adults has been well-documented, less is known about the impact of dementia family caregiving on adolescents. We conducted a scoping review to assess research on the impact of dementia family caregiving on adolescents. Eight articles representing five studies were identified. Findings suggest that while adolescents developed strategies to cope with the challenges of dementia caregiving, the long-term impact of caregiving on overall well-being has not been well described. Further, research has shown inconsistent findings with studies reporting both improved and strained adolescent relationships. The paucity of research on the impact of dementia family caregiving on the well-being of adolescents is a serious omission given that adolescents are at high-risk for emerging health problems.