Dementia Care Research and Psychosocial Factors

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Caregiver Support
• Dementia Care

Background:

• Family caregivers manage complex medical, financial, social, and legal issues for individuals with dementia.
• The development of essential navigational skills among dementia caregivers is understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To refine a psychoeducational intervention for family caregivers of persons living with dementia.
• To incorporate caregiver feedback to strengthen navigational support and self-care strategies.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving three focus groups with 15 family caregivers.
• Thematic analysis of transcribed focus group discussions to identify key themes and recommendations.
• Informed revisions for a previously piloted educational program.

Main Results:

• Caregivers found the detailed information on navigating systems helpful but suggested improvements.
• Key recommendations included emphasizing proactive choice-making and timing in decision-making.
• Participants stressed the importance of self-care and identified stigma and privacy as barriers.

Conclusions:

• Feedback from family caregivers is crucial for strengthening dementia care education.
• The revised intervention, informed by caregiver input, aims to better guide them through their caregiving journey.
• The newly launched Caregiver as Navigator intervention incorporates these essential improvements.