The Healthy Caregiver? A Positive Impact of Informal Caregiving Status on Cognitive Functions Over Time From the Midlife in the United States Study.

Objectives: The current study examined whether informal caregivers performed worse, better, or similar to non-caregivers on cognitive tests of executive functioning and episodic memory over 10 years. Data were from waves 2 (2003-04) and 3 (2013-14) of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study ( = 2086). Multiple linear regression models examined whether caregiving at both waves 2 and 3 predicted better cognitive functioning at wave 3, than caregiving at only one time point or no caregiving (reference) while controlling for baseline covariates (i.e., sociodemographic, health, and functional status).

Results: After controlling for covariates, caregiving at both waves was independently associated with better performance in episodic memory ( = .24, = .10, = .013) but not executive function ( = -.06, = .05, = .246). The findings partially supported both healthy caregiver and stress process models, indicating caregiving may be associated with better episodic memory but not executive functioning over time among the middle-aged and older adults.