Living Well at Home With Dementia: Home Modifications, Caregiving Duration, and Subjective Well-Being

Background Supporting people with dementia to live well at home requires balancing safety with emotional well-being. Although home modifications are promoted to enhance independence, their implications for subjective well-being remain unclear. Objective This study examined associations between home modifications, caregiving duration, and subjective well-being among community-dwelling older adults with dementia, informed by the Ecological Theory of Aging. Methods Using data from five NHATS waves (2015–2019), we conducted pooled cross-sectional regression analyses using repeated person-wave observations ( N = 340 individuals; mostly 70–84 years, 54% women). Regression models assessed associations between home modifications, caregiving duration, and subjective well-being, including self-efficacy and positive affect. Results Home modifications were associated with lower levels of both self-efficacy and positive affect. Longer caregiving duration attenuated the negative association between home modifications and positive affect. Findings highlight that physical and social environments jointly shape adaptation experiences, underscoring the need for personalized, dignity-preserving dementia care.