What factors predict family caregivers' attendance at dementia cafés?

BACKGROUND: Dementia Cafés are community support groups which provide post-diagnostic support for families affected by dementia. However, little is known about the characteristics of caregivers who attend Cafés.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the demographic and psychosocial characteristics of caregivers who attend Dementia Cafés, and to identify which of those factors may influence the likelihood of family caregivers attending Dementia Cafés.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study on caregivers (n = 80; July 2016- July 2017). Resilience (Brief Resilient Coping Scale), Subjective Wellbeing (Personal Wellbeing Index), and Social Support (MOS-Social Support Survey) were measured. Café attendees and non-attendees were compared in regards to demographic characteristics (Chi-Square tests), resilience, subjective wellbeing and social support (independent t-tests). Bivariate and multivariate regression analyses were run to detect associations between predictor variables and café attendance.

RESULTS: Caregivers who attended Cafés reported higher resilience (OR: 1.26; 95% CI 1.10-1.45; p = 0.001) and subjective wellbeing (OR: 1.63; 95% CI 1.24-2.142; p = 0.001); no significant difference in social support was detected. Female caregivers were more likely to attend a Café (OR: 3.23; 95% CI 1.14-9.10; p = 0.03). However, only higher subjective wellbeing (OR: 1.63; 95% CI 1.10-24.2; p = 0.02) and fewer years formal education (OR: 4.99; 95% CI 1.12-21.36; p = 0.03) predicted attendance at a café.

CONCLUSION: Dementia Cafés may bring about benefits in resilience and subjective wellbeing, or may be best suited to those with higher resilience and wellbeing. Cafes are not being accessed by all caregiver groups. Alternative models of post-diagnostic support should be considered to increase equity of care.