DEMENTIA MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AND ADJUSTMENT OF FAMILY MEMBERS OF OLDER PATIENTS

Family members caring for dementia patients must often contend with a complex set of behavioral problems evidenced by their demented older r elatives. In this study we examined how strategies to manage dementia problems in (N = 152) older people were associated with the adjustment of family members while providing assistance to the patient. Three De mentia Management Strategies were identified (Criticism, Encouragement , and Active Management) and were found to be associated with three in dices of family members' emotional adjustment -burden, psychiatric sym ptoms, and desire to institutionalize the patient. After controlling f or the influence of family member and patient background characteristi cs and family member coping, Demential Management Strategies accounted for significant and unique variance in family members' burden and des ire to institutionalize the patient but not in family members' psychia tric symptoms. The use of Active Management and Criticism was associat ed with greater burden, whereas use of encouragement was tied to less family member burden and less desire to institutionalize.