Understanding non-traditional caregivers: protocol for a scoping review of caregiver definitions, caregiver networks and outcome measures.
Journal:
BMJ open
Published Date:
Aug 28, 2025
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Dementia caregiving is typically provided through a network of multiple individuals, particularly in diverse populations. Although family members of people living with Alzheimer's disease and Alzheimer's disease-related dementias, especially spouses and adult children, often assume the role of informal care partner, there is a growing number of non-traditional informal care partners (ie, non-spousal, non-biological child) given societal changes in family structure. The proposed study aims to systematically review the caregiver literature to better understand how caregivers are defined, the approaches and tools commonly used to evaluate the caregiver network and common caregiver outcome assessments that are used in clinical and research settings.
