When Grandparents Have Dementia: Effects on Their Grandchildren's Family Relationships

This study aims to identify changes in adolescents' lives and in the relationships within the family when a family member has a dementia. Grandchildren living in Barcelona, Spain, participated in the study (N = 145). The data, based on both quantitative and qualitative information, showed that if the grandparent moved into the grandchildren's household, adolescents underwent changes in their daily activities and in their experience of caring for the grandparent. Participants showed mainly positive changes in their relationship with their parents and acknowledged the influences their parents have in their relationships with their cognitively impaired grandparent. Grandchildren experienced a closer relationship with the partner of the person with dementia, although they also mentioned difficulties in maintaining this relationship if this grandparent focuses his or her attention excessively on the care recipient. From a family systems perspective, we discuss the importance of the role of grandchildren in caring for a person with dementia.