Caring for Dementia Patients

Spouses caring for partners with dementia more likely to develop disorder themselves.
The Salt Lake Tribune (5/6, May) reports that, according to a study published May 5 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, "spouses who care for partners with dementia are six times more likely to develop the disorder too, compared to healthy elderly couples." Perhaps "the incredible stress of watching their partner deteriorate, as well as taking care of their physical and emotional needs, impairs the brain of the caring spouse," or "something in the couple's shared environment -- their diet and exercise patterns, or chemical exposures" may explain the connection.
Researchers from "Utah State University, followed 1,221 heterosexual married couples (2,442 individuals) ages 65 and older," none of whom had dementia at the start of the study, "for up to 12 years," the Time (5/5, O'Callaghan) "Wellness" blog reported. Over the course of the study, the investigators found that, "in addition to advanced age, having a spouse with dementia was significantly correlated with individuals' increased risk for developing the disease themselves."