Musil, Carol M.

Currently, 15 million informal caregivers, most of whom are women, provide care for older adults with dementia (Alzheimer's Disease Association, 2016). Caregiving for these individuals often creates distress and may adversely affect female caregivers' psychosocial and spiritual well-being. Approximately 35% of dementia caregivers complain of health deterioration after initiating caregiving responsibilities as compared to 19% of caregivers of older adults who do not have dementia (Alzheimer's Disease Association, 2016).

Purpose: Transitions in caregiving, such as becoming a primary caregiver to grandchildren or having adult children and grandchildren move in or out, may affect the well-being of the grandmother. Design and Methods: This report describes caregiving patterns at 3 time points over 24 months in a sample of 485 Ohio grandmothers and examines the effects of stability and change in grandmother caregiving roles (raising a grandchild, living in a multigenerational home, or not caregiving to grandchildren).