Acceptability of the Veterans Health Administration's Caregiver Health and Wellbeing Coaching Program: Evidence From...

This explanatory, sequential mixed-methods evaluation assessed the acceptability of the Veterans Health Administration's Caregiver Health and Wellbeing Coaching (CHWC) program from the perspectives of caregivers and staff. Guided by the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability, cross-sectional surveys were completed by 153 caregivers and 53 program delivery staff, followed by semi-structured interviews with 20 caregivers and 14 staff. Quantitative and qualitative data were integrated to examine affective attitudes, participation burden, and perceived effectiveness. Caregivers and staff reported high satisfaction with CHWC, noting improvements in caregiver wellbeing, self-care, and caregiver-Veteran relationships. Participation barriers included scheduling challenges and limited session duration; facilitators included flexible delivery and supportive coaching relationships. Staff also described personal and professional benefits from delivering CHWC. CHWC offers a strength-based, person-centered approach to advancing Veteran caregiver wellbeing and informing enhancements to caregiver support services.