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Keywords

Older Adults, Aging, Caregiving, Dementia, Living-Apart Together

Abstract

Older and middle-aged adults are increasingly in Living-Apart-Together (LAT) relationships characterized by committed romantic relationships without marriage and cohabitation. Because of assumptions that older adults will receive family caregiving as they grow older and need caregiving, it is not clear how people are likely to perceive obligations to provide caregiving assistance. As adults move into old age and incidence rates of Alzheimer’s Disease or Related Dementia (ADRD) increase, questions about the availability of family members to provide needed assistance are complicated by LAT relationships. The purpose of this study was to examine perceived obligations to provide assistance to older adults living with dementia, specifically focusing on LAT relationships. Quantitative survey research was done using three scales and two randomized vignettes per participant. We measured contextual (obligation to provide instrumental, personal, and financial care) based off of the (1) sex of the person needing versus providing care, (2) marital status (married or LAT), (3) approval of adult children, (4) recent sexual intimacy, and (5) reasons for marital dissolution (divorce or widowhood). We also measured cultural (familism, religiosity, and individualism) variables. In this study, the perceived obligations of older adult partners in LAT relationships were evaluated. The findings suggest that legal marital status and extended family support significantly impact the perceived obligation of the vignette partner to provide physical and financial assistance. The growing prevalence and social recognition of LAT relationships in caregiving contexts are important for future research and policy development.

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