Friends and social ties help dementia caregivers reduce loneliness

Even brief, friendly interactions can lift the emotional weight of dementia caregiving, with new research showing that connections, especially casual ones, offer powerful protection against loneliness and isolation.

We often report on developments in the Alzheimer’s disease space, be that the development and testing of new treatments or the gaining of new understanding about the disease itself. Rarely, though, do we talk about those who provide care to people living with Alzheimer’s.

A new study by researchers at the University of Michigan has examined how friendships and daily social interactions affect feelings of loneliness in people caring for loved ones with dementia.

“This study captured the dynamic fluctuations of loneliness,” said the study’s lead author, Crystal Ng, PhD, a postdoc scholar at the University’s Institute for Social Research (ISR). “We are not treating loneliness as a personality trait, but as something that fluctuates throughout the day.”

Caregivers often face isolation and emotional strain, which can take a toll on their mental and physical health. The researchers wanted to understand how moment-to-moment social experiences, especially with friends, might act as a buffer against loneliness, and whether this effect depends on how burdened caregivers feel.

A total of 223 American dementia caregivers with an average age of 61 (78% female, 36% Black) were recruited. They completed a baseline interview about their social networks and health, then participated in a five-day ecological momentary assessment (EMA), reporting their social interactions and loneliness every three hours. Loneliness was rated on a one-to-five scale. Friend interactions were logged, including whether caregivers interacted with close or non-close friends, and if these interactions were positive or negative. Caregiver burden was measured with the Zarit Burden Interview; those scoring ≥17 were classified as high burden. Multilevel statistical models examined how friend interactions affected loneliness within and between individuals, accounting for demographic and family factors.

The researchers found that more friends equaled less loneliness. Caregivers with a greater number of close friends generally reported lower levels of loneliness, even after controlling for other factors like depression and marital status. During the times caregivers interacted with friends, which was about 22% of the reporting periods, they felt less lonely than during times they didn’t. Unsurprisingly, loneliness dropped during positive interactions with friends, but negative ones didn’t have much effect – perhaps because negative exchanges were rare, accounting for only 2% of reports.

Surprisingly, interactions with non-close friends were linked to greater reductions in loneliness than those with close friends. The authors suggest that casual or “weaker” social ties might be refreshing, provide variety, or take place outside the home, all of which can ease loneliness. Only caregivers with high burden experienced significant loneliness relief from friend interactions. Those with low burden didn’t show this effect, likely because their overall loneliness was already lower.

“Interacting with friends appears to be particularly important for high-burden caregivers, and that could be the case because higher-burden caregivers are more at risk of being socially isolated and feeling lonely,” Ng said. “Sending a text to a friend or making the time to get in touch with them can make caregivers feel less lonely and foster a sense of connection amid the burden of dementia. Interventions that encourage caregivers to schedule social interactions with friends in daily life can give them a much-needed emotional lift.”

The authors noted the limitations of the study. It only lasted for five days, so it captured only short-term fluctuations in loneliness. It relied on self-reports, which can be biased by memory or social desirability. The sample included only US caregivers, so results may not generalize to other cultures. And, it didn’t measure whether friends helped directly with caregiving tasks, or they were just social interactions.

Nonetheless, the findings suggest that friendship-focused interventions could help reduce loneliness, particularly for caregivers under heavy stress. Weaker ties – neighbors, community members, casual acquaintances – shouldn’t be overlooked, though. The research suggests that they can also play a meaningful role in reducing loneliness.

The bottom line is that strengthening and diversifying social connections could be a simple, effective way to support the mental health of this often-isolated group.

The study was published in The Journals of Gerontology: Series B.

Source: University of Michigan