Dementia caregivers report less anxiety, depression during pandemic

SAN DIEGO – Individuals caring for those with dementia “surprisingly” experienced reduced anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 related lockdowns, per a presentation at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference.

“Dementia caregivers suffer from increasing rates of anxiety, depression and high rates of burnout related to caregiving,” Breanna M. Bullard, MA, of the University of California, Berkeley, said during her presentation. “This (requires) the need for interventions that are inexpensive, low effort and sustainable.”

Bullard and fellow researchers sought to explore alterations in caregiver burden, as well as symptoms of anxiety and depression, associated with time periods before and during COVID-19 lockdowns via the development of an in-home intervention consisting of an app connected to a series of sensors placed inside the homes of caregivers.

The study used data from multiple surveys collected as part of a randomized controlled trial conducted between February 2019 and June 2021, which involved 260 familial caregivers for people with dementia or mild cognitive impairment living throughout the U.S. (mean age 63.93 years, 68% female) who completed at least 2 surveys. Participants completed a baseline survey at the start of the study, then subsequent follow-up surveys every 3 months for a period of 6 to 9 months. Questionnaires included the Zarit Burden Index, the Beck Anxiety Inventory and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale. Researchers determined the date of lockdown based on the first lockdown order issued in the participant's state of residence. For each survey score, researchers also determined the number of days before or after the lockdown date.

Results showed that a regression predicting caregiver burden from the days before and after lockdown revealed that burden decreased over time, (P = .051), which the researchers said they found surprising. Concurrently, comparing the average of all scores obtained after lockdown with those obtained before lockdown indicated that the burden decreased during lockdown (P = .013).

Data additionally showed that levels of caregiver anxiety and depression were not associated with days before or after lockdown and did not change from before lockdown to after lockdown, which may arise from lockdown providing relief from caregivers’ other responsibilities such as travel to and from work as well as reduced social obligations.

“Our study supports the need for inexpensive, scalable and low-effort technology that can assist caregivers and potentially lead to less anxiety burden at least during times of higher stress like when living through a pandemic,” Bullard stated in the presentation.