Beyond cross-sectional snapshots: Charting the course of burden in caregivers of family members with mild cognitive impairment

The prospect of becoming cognitively impaired provokes fear and anxiety in many older adults. Almost equally disturbing may be the possibility of a loved one developing such impairment and associated concerns over what this bodes for the future. “How will my loved one change?” “Will our relationship change?” “How will my family and I take care of him/her?” These sorts of questions typically arise when family members first learn of a diagnosis such as mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or early dementia, although they may acknowledg e that they knew something was wrong and began to have these concerns well before any diagnosis.
Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry - Category: Geriatrics Authors: Tags: INVITED PERSPECTIVE Source Type: research