National health and aging trends study

Background: Most persons with dementia have multiple chronic conditions; however, it is unclear whether co-existing chronic conditions contribute to health-care use and cost. Methods: Persons with dementia and >= 2 chronic conditions using the National Health and Aging Trends Study and Medicare claims data, 2011 to 2014. Results: Chronic kidney disease and ischemic heart disease were significantly associated with increased adjusted risk ratios of annual hospitalizations, hospitalization costs, and direct medical costs.

Objectives We provide national estimates of caregiving networks for older adults with and without dementia and examine how these networks develop over time. Most prior research has focused on primary caregivers and rarely on change over time. Method We identify a cohort of older adults continuously followed in the National Health and Aging Trends Study between 2011 and 2015 and receiving help from family members or unpaid caregivers in 2015 (n = 1,288).

Informal caregivers can experience high levels of burden, negatively impacting both the caregiver and care recipient. The presence of dysphagia (swallowing impairments) in care recipients is suggested to contribute to increased caregiver burden. The purpose of this study was to describe the type and severity of caregiver burden experienced by adults caring for community-dwelling older parents reporting symptoms of dysphagia.