Personal Experience of Aging in the Children of a Parent with Dementia

We investigated whether adults with a parent with dementia experience their personal aging differently than adults whose parents do not have dementia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 adults who had a parent with dementia and 25 controls. We found that, although in a general sense the two groups were quite similar in their personal experiences of aging, there were specific differences. The children of parents with dementia had a health-concept in which there was substantial emphasis on mental health. Moreover, they linked the dementia of their parent to their own aging and worried about developing a dementia syndrome themselves. They also held different attitudes with regard to end-of-life decisions. Finally, participants having a parent with dementia gave more extensive answers to simple questions. This overall response suggests more involvement with growing older and finitude in the children of parents with dementia.