Maximizing a Nurturing Care Style for Persons with Dementia: A Person-Centered Analysis

Background: Our aim was to structure the configuration of family caregivers' management strategies for the person with dementia (PWD) and to examine factors differentiating caregiving styles. Methods: Using a latent class analysis on the data (N = 338) collected from an ambulatory dementia clinic of a tertiary hospital and the local Alzheimer association, we classified overall patterns of caregivers' dementia management strategies into three domains: criticism, encouragement, and active management. As determinants related to caregiving style, caregiver sociodemographics, caregiving experience, and health outcomes were tested while controlling for the PWD's characteristics. Results: A hierarchical structure of dementia caregiving style was classified into three groups: passive class (33.24%), authoritarian class (29.12%), and nurturing class (37.65%). Caregiver's marital status, employment, reaction to PWD's memory and behavior problems, sense of competence, and perceived gains from caregiving were significantly associated with the caregiving styles derived. In particular, the authoritarian class perceived higher burden whereas the nurturing class was associated with greater gains. Conclusion: A better understanding of caregiver coping and caregiving style is critical to improving care for the PWD. Information on predictive factors related to more constructive coping strategies can be beneficial to design interventions for caregivers. Understanding caregiving styles may thus provide meaningful evidence for more efficient allocation of supportive resources to caregivers caring for the PWD.