Secondary dementia caregiving and its consequences

The purpose of this study was to ascertain variations between primary and "secondary" caregivers (those who play a more supplemental role in the care of a relative). Survey data were collected from a sample of dementia caregivers recruited from the University of Kentucky Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (N = 1,016). Bivariate analyses found that primary and secondary caregivers varied on a number of background characteristics, and regression models indicated that primary caregivers provided a wider range of assistance with instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), but not help with activities of daily living (ADLs). Primary and secondary caregivers did not differ significantly in reports of subjective health. The findings suggest that future research and interventions should be inclusive of primary and secondary caregivers.