How do care partners overcome the challenges associated with falls of community-dwelling older people with dementia? A qualitative study

Background and Objectives: Previous studies have found that falls among community-dwelling older people with dementia negatively impact the health and well-being of their relative/friend care partners. Limited studies have explored the challenges care partners experience because of older people’s falls (including fall incidents and fall risks). We sought to investigate care partners’ experiences of these challenges and how care partners responded. Methods: We conducted an inductive thematic analysis of 48 dementia care partner interviews (age range: 33–86, mean: 61, 70.8% women; 58.3% adult children; 29.2% spouse; 62.5% completed college; 25% people of color), conducted after a health crisis of older people with dementia from three local university-affiliated hospitals in the United States. Findings: Care partners reported that falls in older people with dementia can intensify overall care demands and lead to self-sacrificing behaviors, dissatisfaction with healthcare providers, conflicts with care recipients, and intense emotions. Care partners described several adaptations to mitigate these impacts, including practicing acceptance, approaching falls as an opportunity for learning, facilitating collaborations within formal/informal care networks, collaborating with older people with dementia to balance autonomy and safety, and modifying the physical environment. Discussions and Implications: Falls among older people with dementia are a significant stressor and an important activation stimulus for their care partners. Our findings suggest that care partners are “second clients” and “competent collaborators.” As they provide important insights about fall prevention, care partners should be engaged to co-design new multi-level interventions to facilitate collaborations among care networks, older people with dementia, and service providers.