Care Partners

New Zealand Dementia Foundation > Research Radar > Care Partners
A ‘Personhood Paradox’: Care Partners’ Experiences Supporting People With Dementia and Incontinence.


Burholt, V., Orton, Y., Awatere, S. A., & Daltrey, J. F. (2025). 
Dementia, 14713012251329545.

This study of 18 New Zealand caregivers found that caring for someone with dementia and incontinence creates significant physical and emotional challenges, with caregivers struggling to access adequate healthcare support while trying to maintain their loved one’s dignity and their own well-being.

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The Impact of Social Isolation and Loneliness on the Well-Being of Carers of a Person With Dementia in Aotearoa New Zealand. 


Robertson, K., Thyne, M., Thomson, R., & Watkins, L. (2025). 
Dementia. 

Using data from the New Zealand Lifestyles Survey, Kirsten Robertson and colleagues found that caregivers of a person with dementia were more likely than non-caregivers to experience loneliness, but not social isolation. Both loneliness and isolation were linked to overall well-being.

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Behind Closed Doors: Using Talanoa To Understand the Experiences of Samoan Caregivers Taking Care of Loved Ones With Dementia. 


Tagatanu’u, M.F. (2023).
University of Auckland Master’s Thesis.

This research aims to explore and seek a better understanding of the experiences of Samoan caregivers of loved ones with dementia within the Auckland region. This study explored knowledge and awareness of dementia at the individual level; Samoan understandings of care; knowledge and awareness of support services; service utilisation and engagement; and recommendations to enhance current processes and services.

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“My Quiet Times”: Themes of Sleep Health Among People Caring for a Family Member With Dementia.


Gibson, R., Helm, A., Breheny, M., & Gander, P. (2021). 
Dementia, 20(6), 2024–2040

Carers of people living with dementia are balancing the need for sleep with meeting their responsibilities, according to a survey by Rosie Gibson and colleagues.

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Living With Dementia: The Felt Worth of Support Workers.


Hale, L., Jenkins, M., Mayland, B., Buttery, Y., Norris, P., Butler, M., . . . Kayes, N. (2021). 
Ageing and Society, 41(7), 1453-1473. 

Leigh Hale and colleagues spoke with support workers who work with people living with dementia to help them understand what makes them feel valued.

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Caregiving Burnout of Community-Dwelling People With Dementia in Hong Kong and New Zealand: A Cross-Sectional Study. 


Chan, C.Y., Cheung, G., Martínez-Ruiz, A. et al. (2021).  
BMC Geriatr 21, 261.

Gary Cheung and a group of international researchers use InterRAI data to explore the prevalence and contributing factors of burnout amongst those supporting a person living with dementia in New Zealand and Hong Kong.

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‘And so I Took Up Residence’: The Experiences of Family Members of People With Dementia During Admission to an Acute Hospital Unit.


de Vries, K., Drury-Ruddlesden, J., & Gaul, C. (2019). 
Dementia, 18(1), 36-54.

In this article, we present the results of an analysis of interviews with 26 family members of people with dementia about their experiences of supporting the admission of a person with dementia to an acute hospital unit in New Zealand. For all family members, the desire to support the person with dementia during their admission was at the forefront and was their primary focus.

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The Influence of Ethnicity and Gender on Caregiver Health in Older New Zealanders.


Alpass, F., Pond, R., Stephens, C., Stevenson, B., Keeling, S., & Towers, A. (2013). 
Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 68(5), 783–793.

This study examined the interrelationships among ethnicity, gender, and caregiving and their effects on the health of older New Zealanders. A representative sample of 2,155 participants from the New Zealand Health, Work and Retirement study completed postal surveys at two time points.  The poorer health of caregivers supports previous findings on the detrimental effects of caregiving on caregivers’ health. Caregiving may have more detrimental effects on Māori health outcomes.

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Caring ‘From Duty and the Heart’: Gendered Work and Alzheimer’s Disease.


Kirkman, A. (2011). 
Women’s Studies Journal, 25(1), 2-16.

Caring for people with dementia remains gendered, with women still expected to undertake much of the paid and unpaid caring work in the community. This study draws on survey and interview data collected from 48 women community workers in Alzheimers Societies throughout New Zealand. Through the lens of the women community workers, the gendered expectations about paid and unpaid work are revealed. 

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Using the COPE Assessment Tool With Informal Carers of People With Dementia in New Zealand. 


Roud, H., Keeling, S., & Sainsbury, R. (2006).
New Zealand Medical Journal, 119(1237), 1-12.

This study evaluated the validity of the COPE index (CI) carer assessment tool and found that COPE improved both communication and understanding of carers’ needs, and was positively evaluated by most carers and health practitioners.

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Factors Associated With the Sleep of Carers: A Survey of New Zealanders Supporting a Family Member With Cognitive Impairment or Dementia.


Gibson, R., & Gander, P. (2020). 
Dementia, 1471301220915071.

This postal survey asked about the sleep of 526 family carers supporting a family member with cognitive impairment or dementia. 23.5% of carers scored in the moderate–severe range and 43.0% in the mild range for sleep disturbance. Independent predictors for carers’ reporting greater sleep disturbance included being female, caregiving at night, poorer self-rated health, and the care recipient having more disturbed sleep. Moderate–severe sleep disturbance was independently associated with poorer self-rated health and living standards, use of sleeping medications, and considering transitioning their family member into formal care within the year.

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Using Nussbaum’s Central Capabilities To Understand Caring for Older People in New Zealand.


Horrell, B., Breheny, M., & Stephens, C. (2020). 
International Journal of Care and Caring.

The capability approach and Nussbaum’s list of essential capabilities were used as a template to analyse contributions to an online forum created for the research. The carers’ posts indicated they valued these capabilities, though in some instances they struggled to achieve them while providing care. 

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Older New Zealanders in Caregiving Roles: Psychological Functioning of Caregivers of People Living With Dementia.


Fekete, M., Szabo, A., Stephens, C., & Alpass, F. (2019). 
Dementia, 18(5), 1663-1678.

The present study aimed to identify different patterns of psychological functioning and their correlates among caregivers of dementia patients. The sample included 336 older caregivers. Latent profile analysis revealed three distinct profiles. The optimally functioning profile was characterised by high levels of positive outcomes and low levels of depression. Those with a suboptimally functioning profile reported low levels of positive outcomes and increased depression symptoms. The poorly functioning profile displayed extremely high levels of depression symptoms and extremely low levels of positive outcomes. Results suggest that caregiving is not necessarily burdensome and highlight the importance of social relationships.

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Supporting Family Carers of People With Dementia. 


Malthus, K., & Tranter, S. (2018). 
Kai Tiaki: Nursing New Zealand, 24(10), 14-16.

This summary of review findings explores ways nurses can support carers of people with dementia to promote positive health outcomes. 

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The Influence of Feeling Positive About Helping Among Dementia Caregivers in New Zealand: Helping Attitudes Predict Happiness.


Dulin, P. L., & Dominy, J. B. (2008). 
Dementia, 7(1), 55-69.

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the unique contribution of positive attitudes about helping others in predicting emotional functioning among a sample of dementia caregivers. Participants were 158 older (M = 68 years) caregivers residing in New Zealand. This study indicates that having a positive attitude towards helping others may be an important determinant of positive emotional functioning among dementia caregivers and may help to offset the oft-cited negative consequences of caregiving.

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