Human study · Research · 5 Nov 2026
In networks around 2,037 US caregivers, people helping an adult with dementia were more likely to stop
Source: Journal of Applied Gerontology
What the research found
The Journal of Applied Gerontology published a national caregiver study on 5 November 2026. Harris-Gersten and colleagues used reports from 2,037 current US caregivers about 7,742 people in their support networks. They asked whether family and friends who helped an adult with dementia were more likely to stop helping during the COVID-19 pandemic than people who helped an adult with another chronic condition. Ten percent of supporters withdrew help. Supporters of a care recipient with dementia had higher odds of withdrawal (odds ratio 1.40, 95 percent confidence interval 1.02 to 1.92). Friends or distant relatives of the caregiver were more likely to withdraw than close family. Supporters who were strongly connected, or who both received and gave help, were much less likely to withdraw (odds ratio 0.07, 95 percent confidence interval 0.05 to 0.10). Higher caregiver income buffered the loss. This is an observational network study. It does not test a program. The abstract does not give the ages of the caregivers or the care recipients. DOI 10.1177/07334648261504071. Not medical advice.
Evidence level: Human study. A study in people, but an association isn't proof of cause.
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