Early Results of a Pilot Program Providing Virtual Support to Family Caregivers of People with Alzheimer’s Disease to Reduce Their Stress and the Risk of Complications for Their Loved Ones

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundThe Florida Department of Elder Affairs and Navigating Aging Needs, LLC (NAN) have formed a public‐private partnership providing virtual support to family caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease living at home. The program targets patients with high‐level daily care needs and with increased risk for future decline and need for costly Medicaid‐supported care.ObjectivesTo reduce stress for family caregivers and reduce risk of complications for their loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease.MethodsFamily caregivers who qualify for state assistance were offered a 12‐month support program. Support included regular meetings (Zoom or phone) with a personal licensed social worker. The initial assessment included 80 questions on the AD patient’s medical, emotional, social, and legal/financial well‐being and the validated battery of 12 questions comprising the Zarit Burden Scale. Following the assessment, the social worker provided the family caregiver with a personal plan that identified areas of risk that “need attention” or “may need attention,” along with resources to address identified needs. For the following three months, the social worker met with the family caregiver regularly to help resolve areas identified as high risk and discuss other relevant issues as they arose. After three months of guidance and support, the social worker conducted a re‐assessment with the family caregiver.ResultsData are available for the first hundred family caregivers participating in the pilot for three months. Initial results demonstrate a positive impact on AD patients’ medical, emotional, legal/financial outcomes including hospitalizations, falls, depression, anxiety, advanced directives, and financial planning. Early results also show reduced Zarit Burden Scale scores for family caregivers.ConclusionProviding virtual support to family caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease shows early signs of reducing the caregivers’ stress and the risk of complications for their loved ones. The Florida Department of Elder Affairs and NAN continue to evaluate the program’s impact on family caregivers, people with AD, and the cost of supporting this complex population.