IDENTIFYING COMMUNITY-BASED NEEDS OF OLDER FAMILY CAREGIVERS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW & META-SYNTHESIS

Sep 29, 2026

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The demand for family caregiving in the United States is substantial, with millions providing unpaid care for people with dementia while facing emotional, financial, and physical strain. A systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies examined unmet needs among older adult family caregivers of individuals with dementia. Searches across multiple electronic databases (2014–2025) identified 33 eligible studies, aggregating perspectives from 879 family caregivers. Key themes include cultural and social influences on coping and support access, changing caregiver–care recipient dynamics as dementia progresses, and frequent unmet emotional and mental health needs. Results support targeted home and community-based programs and future research.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Caregiving context and need

Review methods and dataset

Key themes of unmet needs

Implications for programs and future research

FAQs

What unmet needs were identified for older family caregivers of people with dementia?

The review found common unmet emotional and mental health needs, alongside gaps in support related to coping and access.

How was the systematic review conducted?

Qualitative research was searched across multiple electronic databases covering medical, psychological, social, and nursing sciences from 2014 to 2025.

What major factors shaped caregiver coping and access to support?

Cultural and social factors influenced coping strategies and determined how caregivers accessed available support.

Sep 29, 2026

Upload by Ophelia