Exploring Loneliness in Family Caregiver–Care Recipient Dyads: Implications for Caregiver Burden

Abstract

Aim: Family caregivers (CGs) and care recipients (CRs) with cognitive impairment are vulnerable to loneliness, yet the dynamics of loneliness within CG–CR dyads remain underexplored. This study used latent class analysis to identify distinct profiles of loneliness in CG–CR dyads and examine their association with caregiver burden. Methods: Data from 260 dyads of family CGs and CRs with cognitive impairment in Singapore were analyzed. A three-item UCLA Loneliness Scale assessed loneliness in CGs and CRs. Results: Three dyadic loneliness profiles were identified: “less lonely dyads” (74%), “less lonely CGs with severely lonely CRs” (16%), and “lonely CGs with moderately lonely CRs” (10%). Compared with CGs in the “less lonely dyads,” CGs in the “lonely CGs with moderately lonely CRs” dyads reported significantly higher caregiver burden. Conclusions: These findings highlight the need to address loneliness at the dyadic level and identify CGs' loneliness as a primary driver of caregiver burden.