Exploring Caregiving Network Characteristics for Older Adults Living with Cognitive Impairment across Race and Ethnicity

Many older adults with cognitive impairment receive care from multiple family caregivers, yet little is known about how caregiving network characteristics differ by race and ethnicity. Guided by the social convoy and task-specific model, we investigate caregiving network (CGN) characteristics and their associations with dementia status and care needs among Black, Latinx, and White older adults.

Using data from the 2015 National Health and Aging Trends Study, we analyzed a subsample of Black (N=1,014), Latinx (N=326), and White (N=1,455) older adults with cognitive impairment. Latent profile analysis identified CGN profiles by racial and ethnic group, and multinomial logistic regression assessed the relationships between dementia status, care needs, and CGN profiles.

Across all groups, greater cognitive impairment is associated with larger CGNs, with a higher proportion of adult children and family members than those with less impairment. Among Black and Latinx older adults, those with multiple care needs tend to have larger CGNs with higher proportions of adult children, family members, and task-specific specialists than those with fewer needs within their respective groups. In contrast, White older adults with multiple care needs tend to rely on spouses and generalist caregivers providing assistances across various tasks, than their peers with fewer care needs.

By identifying the racial and ethnic differences in CGNs, our findings emphasize the need to incorporate multiple caregivers beyond the primary to existing culturally competent interventions or programs to improve the care and lessen caregiver burden.