The Male Approach to Dementia Caregiving: A Scoping Review

The proportion of male caregivers of people living with dementia has been rising since the 1990s. Yet, limited evidence exists on their specific caregiving experience and needs. The last review conducted on this specific cohort of dementia caregivers scanned the literature from 2007 to 2012. The present scoping review aimed to build on that last review and to update the current state of research on male dementia caregivers.

Four databases (Medline, PubMed, Embase and PsycINFO) were searched to identify relevant studies published from 2012 to May 2025. The search was limited to studies conducted in Anglosphere countries because these countries share comparable socioeconomic and sociocultural structures. Two authors independently dual screened abstracts and full texts of research articles, and a total of 36 studies were included in this review. A qualitative thematic analysis of the findings across these studies was conducted.

Four main themes were identified: gender differences in caregiver burden; male caregivers adopt a task-focused approach to gain control over caregiving; sons step into the caregiver role as a last resort; and males have specific caregiver needs. The findings suggest that socially constructed masculinity norms influence how men approach dementia caregiving. The findings also suggest that sons caring for a parent with dementia have a different approach to caregiving compared with husbands.

The outcomes from this review will help inform the design of support services tailored to the needs of male dementia caregivers, which could empower men to better care for a person living with dementia.