Effects of caring for a demented relative on elders' life events and appraisals.

Weekly ratings of events and appraisals were collected from 19 caregivers of dementia patients and 19 control subjects over 4 weeks. Caregivers reported more negative events overall and rated them as more undesirable than did control subjects, but significant differences were found in events of only 2 of the 11 life areas that were measured. Caregivers' negative appraisals were more frequent and more intense than those of control subjects in virtually every life area. These preliminary data fail to demonstrate a global disruption of caregiver's activities and suggest the importance of appraisals in determining the impact of caregiving.