Supporting Independent Living: Examining the Prevalence and Loneliness of People Living Alone With Dementia

<h2>Abstract</h2><h3>Objectives</h3> This study examined the prevalence of living alone with dementia and loneliness incidence in older adults. <h3>Design</h3> We analyzed cross-sectional data from two U.S. national studies (Health and Retirement Study [HRS] and the National Survey of Older Americans Act Participants [NSOAAP]). <h3>Setting</h3> The two studies interviewed participants in the community. The HRS collected data from individuals aged 55 and older living in the community. The NSOAAP collected information from individuals aged 60 and older living in their community and receiving Older Americans Act (OAA) services. <h3>Participants</h3> The sample of the HRS was over 10,000 participants. The NSOAAP samples collected from each service ranged between 500 and 1,000. The current analyses focused on people living with dementia and ranged from 315 people in the HRS to 41 people in the NSOAAP-Congregate Meal Survey. <h3>Measurements</h3> Assessments covered: demographics, dementia status, living arrangement, and UCLA Loneliness Scale. <h3>Results</h3> Within the HRS, only 0.7% of the sample is living alone with dementia, whereas 5-7% of OAA homemaker, case management, and home-delivered meal clients are living alone with dementia. OAA service users with dementia who live alone experience higher levels of loneliness than the general population of older adults. <h3>Conclusions</h3> Further research is needed into the combination of services used by people with dementia living alone, the duration of services, and the role of services in addressing well-being outcomes for people with dementia living alone. Ongoing training for providers is also crucial to support independent living of people with dementia living alone.