Building Capacity for Caregiver Education in Yap, Micronesia

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Health Education

Background:

• US Affiliated Pacific Islands face a critical need for family caregiver education.
• Caregiver burnout is a significant issue, impacting the cultural norm of in-home senior care.
• Existing support systems require enhancement to meet the demands of an aging population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate a train-the-trainer workshop for family caregivers.
• To enhance the capacity of local health professionals to deliver caregiver education.
• To address the urgent need for family caregiver support in the region.

Main Methods:

• A 32-hour train-the-trainer workshop was conducted in Yap.
• Participants included community health workers, nurses, and physicians trained as instructors.
• The workshop focused on preventing caregiver burnout and managing geriatric syndromes.

Main Results:

• Participant confidence in caregiving significantly increased post-training.
• Competence in managing geriatric syndromes showed statistically significant improvement (P < .001).
• Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the training's value.

Conclusions:

• The train-the-trainer model is effective for scaling family caregiver education.
• Incorporating home visits and translated materials is crucial for outer island communities.
• Yap Area Health Education Center (AHEC) plans to integrate this program into ongoing education.