The male approach to dementia caregiving: an exploratory study

Most people living with dementia are supported by their spouse and/or an adult child, yet little is known about how husbands and sons approach dementia caregiving. Using an exploratory mixed method design, this study examined male dementia carers': approach to help-seeking; motivations to step-into the carer role; expectations of formal services; and appraisal of carer-burden. Qualitative thematic analysis of (n = 32) semi-structured interviews with male carers suggested that masculinity norms shape the male approach to caregiving, summarised under two themes: 'Help-seeking: The way blokes do it'; and 'Sons approach caregiving differently to husbands'. Findings suggest that males typically seek help at crisis point and expect professionals to provide directive task-focused support to manage the crisis. Husbands were motivated to care, as a commitment to their marriage vows, while sons cared as a form of 'pay-back' to their parents. Husbands articulated functional carer-burden, while sons expressed emotional carer-burden. However, quantitative analysis of (n = 22) responses on the 12-item Zarit Burden Interview scale showed no significant difference in carer-burden scores between husbands and sons. These findings could inform the tailoring of formal services for male carers of people with dementia.