Adult day service use and reductions in caregiving hours: Effects on stress and psychological well-being for dementia caregivers

Background: The objective of this study was to determine whether adult day service use interacts with decreases in primary caregiving hours (i.e. the time caregivers spent on activities of daily living/instrumental activities of daily living, memory problems, and behavior problems for patients) to alleviate caregiver stress and negative mental health over time. Methods: Three-month longitudinal data from the Adult Day Care Collaborative Study (n = 400) were used. Results: Decreases in memory problem hours among adult day service users were associated with reduced feelings of role overload; decreases in ADL hours among non-users were associated with decreases in worry and strain over a three-month period. Conclusion: The findings suggest that adult day services are potentially effective in restructuring caregiving time and providing respite to family members.