3rd Edition of Dementia World Conference 2026

Abstract

Introduction: Dementia often adds a layer of complexity to the relationship dynamics within the family. Between expensive medical bills, which are accompanied by distress, worry and the need for adaptability, many family members engage in informal caregiving of their loved one. These informal caregivers occupy a dual role, navigating their role as a caregiver in addition to their role as a spouse or child of the individual with dementia, resulting in unmet psychosocial needs which are unique based on relational attributes i.e., whether they are a spouse or an adult child. Professionally-led support groups can facilitate and equip informal caregivers with experiences, resources and skills needed to ease their burden. Aim: This qualitative evidence synthesis aimed to compare how professionally-led support groups shape the unique experiences of spousal and adult-child caregivers of individuals with dementia. Methods: A systematic search in PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, and ASSIA over the last ten years identified English-language qualitative studies examining professionally led support groups for informal caregivers of PwD. Six studies that met the inclusion criteria were assessed through the CASP checklist. Data extraction will be followed by thematic synthesis. Confidence in findings was assessed using GRADE-CERQual. Results and Discussion: Preliminary findings suggest that professionally-led support groups may be experienced differently by spousal and adult-child caregivers, shaped by their distinct relational positions and life-stage demands. Spousal caregivers frequently described the group as addressing a profound erosion of identity and reciprocity within the marital relationship, with benefits centred on emotional validation, grief processing, and renegotiating a sense of self increasingly confined to the caregiving role. In contrast, adult-child caregivers appeared to draw more heavily on groups for practical guidance and permission-based reframing, including learning to balance caregiving with careers, parenting, and independent lives. They describe benefits such as feeling less guilty about boundary-setting or pursuing opportunities outside the caregiving role. Both groups converged on peer connection and reduced isolation as core benefits, yet diverged in what their unmet needs looked like. Spousal caregivers more often named loss of companionship and shared history, whereas adult-child caregivers emphasised role conflict and lack of family-wide support, highlighting the need for support groups to accommodate the diverse relational and life-stage contexts of dementia caregivers and to align their content with caregivers’ own priorities and desired forms of support. Conclusion: Initial findings suggest that professionally led support groups would benefit from being tailored to caregivers' relational roles to meet their unique needs.