Aging alone with cognitive impairment: an assessment of functioning and factors associated with social wellbeing

Aging well and at home may be difficult for older adults who live alone and have cognitive impairment (greater difficulties with memory and other aspects of cognition than would be expected with normal aging). Although researchers have found that people with dementia living alone experience increased difficulty in some areas not all aspects of wellbeing have been studied, and little is known about people living alone who are cognitively impaired but do not have dementia. The first goal of this study is therefore to explore relationships between cognitive impairment, living arrangement, and the functional, psychological, and social wellbeing of Canadians. The second goal of this research is to explore factors that contribute to social wellbeing for people with cognitive impairment; this is important because social wellbeing is related to many aspects of aging well.