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Regular engagements with friends, even through something as straightforward as a text, can alleviate transient loneliness for caregivers looking after a relative with dementia.

Being a caregiver for a relative with dementia can pose a significant challenge, leaving caregivers particularly susceptible to feelings of isolation. However, social engagements, regardless of their size, with friends and family can mitigate feelings of solitude.

Crystal Ng, a research associate at the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research, along with colleagues, examined 223 dementia caregivers, who documented their social exchanges and feelings of loneliness every three hours over a period of five days—highlighting that caregivers who interacted with friends also noted reduced feelings of loneliness.

The research, published in the Journal of Gerontology, received support from the National Institute on Aging and the Michigan Center on the Demography of Aging.

“We discovered that caregivers reported engaging with friends in over 20% of their waking survey intervals,” Ng stated. “These interactions, especially the positive ones, even with less close friends, are linked to lower transient loneliness in daily experiences.”

According to Ng, the impact was especially significant among caregivers with particularly challenging caregiving duties, referred to as “high-burden” caregivers.

“Engaging with friends seems to be particularly vital for high-burden caregivers, likely because they are more at risk of becoming socially isolated and experiencing loneliness,” she remarked.

Previous research had asked caregivers to evaluate their loneliness over a previous timeframe, perhaps a week or a month, but Ng asserts that a more immediate data collection approach offers a more dynamic and precise representation.

“This study captured the dynamic shifts of loneliness,” she explained. “We do not view loneliness as a fixed trait, but rather as something that varies throughout the day.

“Reaching out via text or allocating time to connect with friends can diminish feelings of loneliness for caregivers and nurture a sense of community amidst the challenges of dementia. Programs that promote caregivers in planning social engagements with friends in daily routines can provide them with an essential emotional boost.”

Co-authors from U-M include: Angela Turkelson, Anna Kratz, and Kira Birditt.

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