Experiences of Black American Dementia Caregivers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2024 Alzheimer's disease facts and figures

This article describes the public health impact of Alzheimer's disease (AD), including prevalence and incidence, mortality and morbidity, use and costs of care and the ramifications of AD for family caregivers, the dementia workforce and society. The Special Report discusses the larger health care system for older adults with cognitive issues, focusing on the role of caregivers and non-physician health care professionals. An estimated 6.9 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer's dementia today. This number could grow to 13.8 million by 2060, barring the development of medical breakthroughs to prevent or cure AD. Official AD death certificates recorded 119,399 deaths from AD in 2021. In 2020 and 2021, when COVID-19 entered the ranks of the top ten causes of death, Alzheimer's was the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States. Official counts for more recent years are still being compiled. Alzheimer's remains the fifth-leading cause of death among Americans age 65 and older. Between 2000 and 2021, deaths from stroke, heart disease and HIV decreased, whereas reported deaths from AD increased more than 140%. More than 11 million family members and other unpaid caregivers provided an estimated 18.4 billion hours of care to people with Alzheimer's or other dementias in 2023. These figures reflect a decline in the number of caregivers compared with a decade earlier, as well as an increase in the amount of care provided by each remaining caregiver. Unpaid dementia caregiving was valued at $346.6 billion in 2023. Its costs, however, extend to unpaid caregivers' increased risk for emotional distress and negative mental and physical health outcomes. Members of the paid health care and broader community-based workforce are involved in diagnosing, treating and caring for people with dementia. However, the United States faces growing shortages across different segments of the dementia care workforce due to a combination of factors, including the absolute increase in the number of people living with dementia. Therefore, targeted programs and care delivery models will be needed to attract, better train and effectively deploy health care and community-based workers to provide dementia care. Average per-person Medicare payments for services to beneficiaries age 65 and older with AD or other dementias are almost three times as great as payments for beneficiaries without these conditions, and Medicaid payments are more than 22 times as great. Total payments in 2024 for health care, long-term care and hospice services for people age 65 and older with dementia are estimated to be $360 billion. The Special Report investigates how caregivers of older adults with cognitive issues interact with the health care system and examines the role non-physician health care professionals play in facilitating clinical care and access to community-based services and supports. It includes surveys of caregivers and health care workers, focusing on their experiences, challenges, awareness and perceptions of dementia care navigation.

Perceived loss of support to community caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) had a negative impact on the health and well-being of community caregivers. Few studies examine the pandemic's negative impact on the availability of social networks of caregivers. This article uses data collected during COVID-19 before vaccination to examine caregivers' reports of perceived lost and reduced network support. We assessed the personal networks of a nationally representative sample of 2214 community caregivers in the United States. We analyzed associations between caregiving factors and caregivers' perceptions of lost and reduced network support. Changes in care recipient living circumstances during COVID-19, longer-term caregiving, care recipient hearing/vision/mobility problems, caregiver travel/socializing restrictions, caregiver race/ethnicity, caregiver income, caregiver age, network connectivity, family relationships, and network members' age were associated with perceived lost/reduced support during the pandemic. Findings provide insights for the development of social network interventions to support caregivers and help them cultivate support networks resilient to public health crises.

How reactions to a brain scan result differ for adults based on self-identified Black and White race

INTRODUCTION

How do reactions to a brain scan result differ between Black and White adults? The answer may inform efforts to reduce disparities in Alzheimer's disease (AD) diagnosis and treatment.

METHODS

Self-identified Black (n = 1055) and White (n = 1451) adults were randomized to a vignette of a fictional patient at a memory center who was told a brain scan result. Measures of stigma and diagnosis confidence were compared between-groups.

RESULTS

Black participants reported more stigma than White participants on four of seven domains in reaction to the patient at a memory center visit. Black participants' confidence in an AD diagnosis informed by a brain scan and other assessments was 72.2 points (95% confidence interval [CI] 70.4 to 73.5), which was lower than the respective rating for White participants [78.1 points (95%CI 77.0 to 79.3)].

DISCUSSION

Equitable access to early AD diagnosis will require public outreach and education that address AD stigma associated with a memory center visit.

Navigating the Complexities of Dementia Care: The Lived Experiences of Black American Family Caregivers

Black American individuals have a higher rate of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) diagnoses compared to other racial/ethnic groups, and their family caregiver population is expected to increase rapidly over the next 2 decades. The current study aimed to explore Black American women's experiences caring for family members with ADRD. An interpretative phenomenology approach was used to gain a deeper understanding of the caregiving experiences of Black American women. Participants in the study were all Black American married women aged 63 to 81 years (mean = 71.3 years, SD = 6.6 years). Key themes that emerged from the study included: (a) Family Care Obligation, (b) Caregiving Journey, (c) Prioritizing Health Concerns, (d) Coping Behaviors, and (e) Support Needs and Challenges. Family caregivers require ongoing support, education, and guidance. Implications for nursing practice include focusing on family assessments, increased education and awareness, and collaboration with interdisciplinary teams to provide the best resources. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 49(6), 19-26.].

Transgender Adults From Minoritized Ethnoracial Groups in the U.S. Report Greater Subjective Cognitive Decline

OBJECTIVES

Investigate subjective cognitive decline (SCD) among 4 study groups consisting of cisgender and transgender adults who are from minoritized ethnoracial groups (i.e., minoritized ethnoracial transgender, minoritized ethnoracial cisgender) and White cisgender and transgender adults aged 45+ (i.e., White transgender, White cisgender) to determine the odds of SCD by group and to test for group differences.

METHODS

Data from the 2015-2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System were used in a modified case-control approach to perform an intercategorical intersectional study. Each transgender participant was matched to 2 cisgender men and 2 cisgender women, on state, ethnoracial identity, and age. Multivariable logistic regressions modeled SCD odds by group and post hoc contrasts estimated pairwise odds ratios comparing the SCD odds for each combination of groups.

RESULTS

SCD prevalence was highest among minoritized ethnoracial transgender (21.6%), followed by White transgender (15.0%), minoritized ethnoracial cisgender (12.0%), and White cisgender (9.0%). After accounting for age, education, and survey year, the odds of SCD were higher in minoritized ethnoracial transgender when compared to White cisgender (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.51, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.59-3.96) and minoritized ethnoracial cisgender (aOR = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.16-3.09). The odds of SCD were higher in White transgender compared to White cisgender (aOR = 1.66, 95% CI: 1.20-2.30).

DISCUSSION

When considering the intersection of transgender and ethnoracial identities, we found that transgender adults from minoritized ethnoracial groups reported higher odds of SCD when compared to cisgender adults from minoritized ethnoracial groups. Additional studies are needed to understand the relationship between racialized and gendered inequities in cognitive impairment and how specific mechanisms of systemic transphobia and racism may contribute to this inequity.

2023 Alzheimer's disease facts and figures

This article describes the public health impact of Alzheimer's disease, including prevalence and incidence, mortality and morbidity, use and costs of care, and the overall impact on family caregivers, the dementia workforce and society. The Special Report examines the patient journey from awareness of cognitive changes to potential treatment with drugs that change the underlying biology of Alzheimer's. An estimated 6.7 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer's dementia today. This number could grow to 13.8 million by 2060 barring the development of medical breakthroughs to prevent, slow or cure AD. Official death certificates recorded 121,499 deaths from AD in 2019, and Alzheimer's disease was officially listed as the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. In 2020 and 2021, when COVID-19 entered the ranks of the top ten causes of death, Alzheimer's was the seventh-leading cause of death. Alzheimer's remains the fifth-leading cause of death among Americans age 65 and older. Between 2000 and 2019, deaths from stroke, heart disease and HIV decreased, whereas reported deaths from AD increased more than 145%. This trajectory of deaths from AD was likely exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. More than 11 million family members and other unpaid caregivers provided an estimated 18 billion hours of care to people with Alzheimer's or other dementias in 2022. These figures reflect a decline in the number of caregivers compared with a decade earlier, as well as an increase in the amount of care provided by each remaining caregiver. Unpaid dementia caregiving was valued at $339.5 billion in 2022. Its costs, however, extend to family caregivers' increased risk for emotional distress and negative mental and physical health outcomes - costs that have been aggravated by COVID-19. Members of the paid health care workforce are involved in diagnosing, treating and caring for people with dementia. In recent years, however, a shortage of such workers has developed in the United States. This shortage - brought about, in part, by COVID-19 - has occurred at a time when more members of the dementia care workforce are needed. Therefore, programs will be needed to attract workers and better train health care teams. Average per-person Medicare payments for services to beneficiaries age 65 and older with AD or other dementias are almost three times as great as payments for beneficiaries without these conditions, and Medicaid payments are more than 22 times as great. Total payments in 2023 for health care, long-term care and hospice services for people age 65 and older with dementia are estimated to be $345 billion. The Special Report examines whether there will be sufficient numbers of physician specialists to provide Alzheimer's care and treatment now that two drugs are available that change the underlying biology of Alzheimer's disease.

Cultural and Social Factors in Care Delivery Among African American Caregivers of Persons With Dementia: A Scoping Review

Cultural and social factors significantly influence the care provided to persons with dementia. This scoping review aimed to map emerging evidence on the influence of cultural and social factors on care delivery among Africa American caregivers of persons with dementia, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a systematic scoping review approach, we identified 21 studies on cultural and social factors influencing care delivery. The search included EMBASE, CINAHL, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, JBI Evidence Synthesis, and Epistemonicos. A narrative synthesis of the data revealed that cultural and social factors greatly influence African American caregivers of persons with dementia and COVID-19 in care delivery, who perceive caregiving as a responsibility and not just a job. These caregivers are additionally guided by their racial identity and faith beliefs, integrating family values and culture into caregiving. African American caregivers showed compassion and resilient care selfperceptions. Supporting compassionate care delivery by African American caregivers requires an understanding of the social and cultural factors which drive their commitment to quality care for older adults with dementia in a pandemic environment.