Types Of Caregivers Research Articles

Where does physical activity fit into preschool postpandemic? A qualitative exploration with parents, teachers and administrators

ObjectivesDuring the preschool years, children depend on adult caregivers to provide opportunities for physical activity (PA). Research has focused on measuring PA in preschool, as well as barriers and facilitators...

Changes in Caregiver Outcomes After Participation in the Engaged Eaters Program: A Caregiver-Mediated Feeding Intervention for Autistic Children and Their Families.

Caregivers are essential partners in caregiver-mediated interventions that build on family routines and practices. Research identifying how participation as an intervention partner influences caregivers' outcomes, including stress and self-efficacy, is scarce. To evaluate caregiver outcomes (stress, self-efficacy, and positive feeding responses and confidence) after participation in the Engaged Eaters Program. Quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design. In-home via telehealth. Fourteen primary caregivers of an autistic child (ages 2-7 yr) with feeding challenges. The Engaged Eaters Program-Telehealth, a caregiver-mediated 6-mo in-home telehealth feeding intervention for autistic children ages 2 to 7 yr that included 24 intervention visits, eight caregiver training modules, and consultation with a dietician. Relationships between child feeding challenge severity and caregiver outcomes and individual differences in caregivers' intervention responses were evaluated. We assessed caregivers' stress (Parenting Stress Index, Fourth Edition Short Form), self-efficacy (Parent Sense of Competence Scale), Positive Feeding Responses and Confidence (PFRC; composite score of items from other assessments), and individual intervention response using pre- to postintervention change in scores. Exploration of individual differences revealed that only caregivers with intake PFRC scores below the mean made significant improvements by the end of the intervention. No significant group-level changes were identified for stress, self-efficacy, or PFRC. Feeding challenge severity was not significantly related to caregiver outcomes. The results emphasize the importance of considering baseline practices, efficacy, and caregiver confidence when engaging caregivers in intervention. Future research should explore the nuanced relationship between caregiver outcomes and child characteristics. Plain-Language Summary: Caregivers are essential partners with feeding interventions that build on family routines and practices. When working with caregivers, occupational therapists should consider caregivers' readiness for and responses to an intervention because intervention practices may differentially affect caregivers' parenting practices, confidence, and self-efficacy. Caregivers' responses may also affect the overall effectiveness of a caregiver-mediated intervention. Positionality Statement: The term caregiver-mediated in used throughout this article in place of parent-mediated to be inclusive of all types of caregivers.

Older adults preferences for long-term caregivers in China: a discrete choice experiment

ObjectiveUnderstanding the preferences of old-age adults for their long-term caregivers can improve person-centred health care and the quality of long-term care (LTC). This study examines Chinese older adults’ preferences for long-term caregivers. Study designThis is a cross-sectional study. MethodsA national representative discrete choice experiment (DCE) surveyed 2031 adults aged 50–70 across 12 provinces in China. Each DCE scenario described five attributes: type of caregivers, place of LTC, contents of LTC, out-of-pocket payments, and quality of life (QoL). Preferences and the marginal willingness to pay (WTP) were derived using mixed-logit and latent class models. ResultsOlder adults displayed higher preferences for long-term caregivers who improve their QoL, incur lower out-of-pocket payments, and provide medical LTC services at home, with the maximum WTP of $22.832 per month. QoL was rated as the most important LTC factor, followed by the place of LTC and the type of caregivers. When the level of QoL improved from poor to good, respondents would be willing to pay $18.375 per month more (95% confidence interval: 16.858 to 20.137), and the uptake rate increased by 76.47%. There was preference heterogeneity among older people with different sex, education, family size, and knowledge of LTC insurance. ConclusionQoL was the most important factor in older Chinese adults' preference for caregivers. Home care and medical care from formal caregivers was preferred by older adults. We recommend training family caregivers, raising older people's awareness of LTC insurance, and guiding policymakers in developing people-oriented LTC and a multi-level LTC system.

Perception of unfamiliar caregivers during sickness – Using the new Caregiver Perception Task (CgPT) during experimental endotoxemia

Social withdrawal is a well-established part of sickness behavior, but in some contexts sick animals might gain from keeping close instead of keeping away. For instance, sick individuals are more willing to be near known individuals who can provide care and safety (close others) compared to when healthy. Yet, interactions with some strangers might also be beneficial (i.e., healthcare professionals), but it is not known how sickness interplay with social behavior towards such individuals. Here, we assessed if sickness affects perception of caregivers, and developed a new task, the Caregiver Perception Task (CgPT). Twenty-six participants performed the CgPT, once after an injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 0.8 ng/kg body weight, n = 24), and once after an injection of saline (n = 25), one hour and forty-five minutes post-injection. During the task, participants watched short video clips of three types of caregivers: a healthcare professional taking care of a sick individual, a healthcare professional not taking care of a sick individual, and a non-healthcare professional taking care of their sick adult child or partner. After each video clip, the likability, trustworthiness, professionalism, and willingness to interact with and receive care from the caregiver were rated on visual analogue scales. Results showed that participants injected with saline rated healthcare professionals who did not take care of a sick individual less positively on all aspects compared to healthcare professionals who took care of a sick individual. Moreover, compared to saline, LPS increased the participants’ willingness to receive care from healthcare professionals and non-healthcare professionals providing care, but not from healthcare professionals not providing care. Thus, our results indicate that sick individuals may approach unknown individuals with potential to provide care and support.

Young Children’s Digital Literacy Practices with Caregivers in the Home Environment: Voices of Chinese Parents and Grandparents

The development of children’s digital literacy is essential in the 21st century. Digital technologies have been adopted by both parents and grandparents to enhance children’s quality of education, in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals (e.g., SDGs 4 and 17). Many children have been provided with all types of digital tools and e-devices from birth, which puts their caregivers in a challenging position. In that context, investigating the attitudes, beliefs, communication, and practices of caregivers when interacting with young children while utilizing digital technologies is crucial for comprehending the disparity in digital literacy between parents and grandparents. In this study, we adopted a mixed research design to examine Chinese intergenerational caregiving during the COVID-19 pandemic and different types of caregivers’ beliefs, practices, and communication with children through various digital tools in the home environment. A caregiver-reported survey was conducted to investigate the primary caregivers’ beliefs, practices, and communication using digital media tools with children at home. Intergenerational interviews with 18 families further identified the different methods of caregiving between parents and grandparents. Mixed attitudes were found concerning popular technologies commonly used at home and children’s digital literacy practices, and we heard intergenerational concerns about children’s use of digital technologies. This study shows that Chinese fathers are generally more supportive of digital practices at home, while mothers are more restrictive of their children’s use of digital technology tools. Grandparenting may be overwhelming for Chinese seniors in the 21st century.

Evaluation of activities and instrumental activities of daily living and correlated factors of traumatic brain injury patients in Vietnam

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is among the leading causes of death in Vietnam. Survivors of TBI suffer from functional and cognitive deficits. Understanding that Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) are crucial in measuring the treatment and health-related quality of life among patients with TBI. This study aims to evaluate ADLs and IADLs among the TBI population in Vietnam and determine the correlated factors to these two indices. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 212 patients with TBI in Vietnam from February to September 2020. ADLs and IADLs scales were applied. Depression, quality of sleep, and social support scales were used. Multivariate Tobit regression was adopted to identify factors associated with ADLs and IADLs. Patients who received first aid had higher ADLs scores than those who had not, by a statistical difference with a p value = 0.04. The mean ADLs score was 5.4 (SD = 1.4). The mean score of IADLs was 7.3 (SD = 1.7). Female patients (Mean = 7.6, SD = 1.1) performed better in IADLs than male patients (Mean = 7.1, SD = 1.9). Both ADLs and IADLs were affected strongly by depression and Injury Severity scores (p < 0.01), whereas IADLs were significantly correlated to caregiver types and quality of sleep (p < 0.01). Family support was observed as a negatively correlated factor to IADLs. Findings from the study provided evidence for authorities to adjust the health strategies among patients with TBI. Proper prehospital care, a basic low-cost hospital care model, and mental health counseling services should be considered when developing health interventions in Vietnam.

The Impact of Informal Care on Healthcare Utilization of Older Adults with Functional Limitations in China

ABSTRACT Our study examines the impact of informal care on healthcare utilization, focusing on caregiver types, urban-rural, and gender differences. Analyzing data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study and using fixed effects models, we discovered complementary effects between informal care and healthcare. Specifically, spousal care increased inpatient care use, adult child care boosted both inpatient and outpatient use, and dual care from children and spouses showed the most significant impact on healthcare use. The association between informal care and healthcare use varied across gender or urban-rural residence. Our findings highlight the importance of caregivers in accessing healthcare services.

Sociodemographic Predictors of Care Burden and Psychological Distress in Schizophrenia

Abstract Background: Caregiving is schizophrenia is challenging and burdensome. Aim and Objectives: The study aimed to know the sociodemographic predictors of care burden and psychological distress in schizophrenia. Materials and Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional descriptive study. A total sample of 540 caregivers of persons with schizophrenia was selected, using purposive sampling from the outpatient Department of LGBRIMH, Tezpur, Assam. The study was approved by the IEC of LGBRIMH, Tezpur. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 23.0. Results: The mean age of patients and their caregivers was 35.6 ± 13.4 and 37.7 ± 12.4 years, respectively. Moderate to severe level of care burden was present in male caregivers (55.6%). Severe level of stress, anxiety, and depression was present in majority of the male respondents (42.5%, 43.2%, and 49.0%, respectively) who were the primary caregivers (41.2%, 40.8%, and 48.9%, respectively), married (41.2%, 37.7%, and 48.1%, respectively), belonging to rural background (43.8%, 43.2%, and 48.5%, respectively), educated till primary level (42.6%, 44.6%, and 58.3%, respectively), mostly unemployed (49.2%, 47.5%, and 50.8%, respectively) belonging to lower socioeconomic background (46.6%, 49.2%, and 48.0%, respectively), and with a history of mental illness in the family (41.6%, 40.7%, and 48.0%, respectively). Extremely severe level of stress (57.1%), with severe level of anxiety and depression (41.7%, 52.8%), was present in majority of the caregivers having nuclear family type condition. Marital status, occupation, family income, and type of caregiving contribute significantly to the prediction of care burden (F [14,525] =11.6, P = 0.001), whereas, caregiver’s gender, education, and, patient’s onset of illness contribute significantly to the prediction of psychological distress among caregivers (F [14,525] =5.31, P = 0.001). Conclusion: Psychosocial intervention is the need of the hour.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Diaper Rash Among Infants and Toddlers Aged 2 to 24 Months in Ola During Children’s Hospital, University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospital Complex, Freetown, Sierra Leone

Background: Diaper rash is a common dermatological condition in infant and toddlers. This condition is also commonly seen particularly among children with malnutrition at Ola During Children’s Hospital (ODCH), Freetown, Sierra Leone. However, the prevalence of this condition in Sierra Leone is not known. This study therefore was conducted to determine the prevalence of prevalence diaper rash and associated factors in infants and toddlers admitted to ODCH.Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study of 269 children aged 2 to 24 months. A convenience sampling technique was used to select the subjects after verbal informed consent was obtained. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data. All children were examined, and a description of the perineum was also documented at the time of recruitment. Analysis was done with IBM SPSS version 26.0. Results: The prevalence of diaper rash was 52%. The proportion of males with diaper rash compared to females was not statistically different. Artificial milk, cereal, malnutrition and immediate caregivers other than fathers were the factors significantly associated with diaper rash. Conclusion: The prevalence of diaper rash is high among infants and toddlers seen at the ODCH, Freetown, Sierra Leone. Factors associated with diaper rash include type of diet, nutritional status and immediate caregiver.

Underrepresented Caregivers in Research on Prenatal Alcohol Exposure: A Meta-Analysis and Scoping Review

Abstract Objectives Families of children with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) are diverse, raising children through birth, adoption, or fostering, including kinship care. Research has shown that caregivers of children with PAE often experience unique difficulties with parenting, which may differ across types of caregivers. Understanding the range of needs of these families is critical for program development; therefore, it is important to know which caregivers are represented in this research and how. Methods The current meta-analysis and scoping review examined the demographic characteristics of caregivers and children included in quantitative PAE caregiver-related research. Systematic database searches using key terms led to the inclusion of 15 relevant studies involving 593 participants in total. Results Most caregivers in the studies were adoptive parents, female, middled-aged, White, partnered, had obtained a high school education or higher, and resided in the United States. Most studies included caregivers of school-aged children diagnosed with FASD. Most studies recruited participants through pre-established lists and databases, collected data in person and for research purposes, and studied parenting stress. Attempts to study differences in representation based on research methods were unsuccessful due to a lack of differences within the literature. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that (a) non-adoptive parents, (b) caregivers who were male, non-White, non-partnered, less educated, and living outside of the United States, and (c) caregivers of adolescents, and caregivers raising children with PAE who have not received an FASD diagnosis are currently underrepresented in the research; however, this literature is limited and requires further research.

Randomized controlled trials on promoting self-care behaviors among informal caregivers of older patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundInformal caregivers of older patients often neglect their self-care, despite the mental and physical health effects of caregiving. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on self-care interventions for informal caregivers are lacking, making it difficult to determine effective strategies. This systematic review explored the definition and categories of self-care RCTs for informal caregivers and a meta-analysis was conducted to determine the effectiveness of these interventions.MethodsSeven databases (Scopus, Web of Science, MEDLINE, PubMed, ProQuest, CINAHL, and Embase) were searched for articles in English reporting on self-care intervention outcomes for informal caregivers of patients aged 60 years or older. Standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using a random-effects model. Subgroup, sensitivity, and publication bias analyses were conducted.ResultsEighteen studies were included in the systematic review, of which fifteen studies were included in the meta-analysis. RCTs lacked a clear definition of self-care, mainly focused on promoting physical and mental health and individual capacity, and neglected disease prevention. The interventions focused on self-management for health and individual agency, with less attention on health literacy, decision-making capacity, self-monitoring for health status, and linkage to the health system. Meta-analysis results showed that RCTs had a small effect on reducing anxiety (SMD = -0.142, 95% CI [-0.302, 0.017], p = .081) but a significant effect on reducing depression (SMD = -0.214, 95% CI [-0.353, -0.076], p = .002). Country and type of caregiver significantly contributed to the effect of reducing caregivers’ depression in subgroup analysis.ConclusionsStudies on caregiver-centered self-care interventions are limited, resulting in a lack of a clear definition and comprehensive intervention. RCTs indicated a small effect on informal caregivers’ mental health, and interventions should consider both mental and physical health. More evidence is needed on the effectiveness of self-care interventions for informal caregivers’ anxiety and physical health.

Diversity of kidney care referral pathways in national child health systems of 48 European countries.

Primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare services in Europe create complex networks covering pediatric subspecialties, sociology, economics and politics. Two surveys of the European Society for Paediatric Nephrology (ESPN) in 1998 and 2017 revealed substantial disparities of kidney care among European countries. The purpose of the third ESPN survey is to further identify national differences in the conceptualization and organization of European pediatric kidney health care pathways during and outside normal working hours. In 2020, a questionnaire was sent to one leading pediatric nephrologist from 48 of 53 European countries as defined by the World Health Organization. In order to exemplify care pathways in pediatric primary care nephrology, urinary tract infection (UTI) was chosen. Steroid sensitive nephrotic syndrome (SSNS) was chosen for pediatric rare disease nephrology and acute kidney injury (AKI) was analyzed for pediatric emergency nephrology. The care pathways for European children and young people with urinary tract infections were variable and differed during standard working hours and also during night-time and weekends. During daytime, UTI care pathways included six different types of care givers. There was a shift from primary care services outside standard working hours to general outpatient polyclinic and hospital services. Children with SNSS were followed up by pediatric nephrologists in hospitals in 69% of countries. Patients presenting with community acquired AKI were admitted during regular working hours to secondary or tertiary care hospitals. During nights and weekends, an immediate shift to University Children's Hospitals was observed where treatment was started by intensive care pediatricians and pediatric nephrologists. Gaps and fragmentation of pediatric health services may lead to the risk of delayed or inadequate referral of European children with kidney disease to pediatric nephrologists. The diversity of patient pathways outside of normal working hours was identified as one of the major weaknesses in the service chain.

Caregiver report of social-emotional functioning in infants and young children after inflicted traumatic brain injury

ABSTRACT Social-emotional difficulties are common sequelae of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Children who have experienced inflicted TBI (iTBI) may be at increased risk for social-emotional problems due to the risk factors associated with both early neurologic injury and with child maltreatment. We characterized the associations among injury severity, caregiver type (i.e., biological parents, non-kinship, kinship), and child social-emotional functioning in 41 infants and young children who had sustained iTBI and were seen in a large, regional children’s hospital. This study was a retrospective analysis, utilizing data collected from the medical record as part of routine clinical care. Social-emotional functioning was assessed with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-Third Edition. Children with more severe injuries were rated as having worse social-emotional functioning. Caregiver type was associated with child social-emotional scores, above and beyond injury and demographic predictors. Biological parents were more likely to report better social-emotional skills than non-kinship caregivers, with the pattern of results suggesting that rater bias plays a role in this difference. In order to ensure that children are accurately identified for supports, these relationships should be considered when interpreting caregiver report of social-emotional skills.

DEVELOPMENT OF AN AI-POWERED EMOTIONALLY INTELLIGENT, INTERACTIVE AGENT PROTOTYPE TO SUPPORT INFORMAL CAREGIVERS

Abstract Long-term informal caregiving for older adults with dementia is exhausting and poses risks to caregivers’ health outcomes. Most informal caregivers are not well prepared for their new role, facing various challenges and receiving limited support. With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) and information and communication technologies (ICTs), assistive technology is increasingly useful for supporting caregivers. However, limited research assesses the potential for AI to facilitate a privacy-preserving computation environment to provide proactive assistance to caregivers. This project aims to fill this gap by leveraging the tremendous potential of Multimodal Machine Learning and Large Language Models (LLMs) to develop a prototype of an AI-powered emotionally intelligent, interactive agent for informal caregivers. We introduce an effective context-driven instruction tuning technique that enables LLMs to finetune various caregiving-related tasks (tips generation, answering questions, elaborating a specific training module) with instructions. The project will also deliver a first-of-its-kind custom dataset augmented with manualized instructions for relevant caregiving tasks, which is used for finetuning several state-of-the-art LLM models. Our intelligent interactive agent prototype currently has the ability to evaluate caregivers’ unique affective states at query times to provide personalized assistance, addressing various types of caregivers’ situation-specific queries (e.g., managing agitation, wandering, or medications). The prototype is capable of understanding and responding to the user’s natural language queries and designing short, machine-driven persuasive conversations on a pre-defined set of topics. Our prototype has the potential to provide individualized and contextualized support for caregiving tasks which in turn may greatly reduce caregiver burden.

LONELINESS AMONG OLDER FAMILY CAREGIVERS: A STUDY OF CAREGIVING INTENSITY, TYPE AND LOCATION BASED ON THE CLSA

Abstract Caring for family members during aging is a risk factor for loneliness among older caregivers (65 years and older). However, loneliness is less understood than other caregiving outcomes (e.g., burden, depression) in caregiving literature. This study aims to examine loneliness among older caregivers using the second wave of data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (2015 to 2018). Based on 6603 older caregivers, linear regression was conducted to examine the relationship between loneliness and caregiving intensity, caregiver type and care location, and ANCOVA was performed to examine the intersection of caregiving intensity and caregiver type, as well as caregiving intensity and care location. A higher level of loneliness is significantly associated with spousal caregivers (vs. non-spousal family caregivers), higher caregiving intensity (vs. lower caregiving intensity), and caregiving to someone living in another household or healthcare institution (vs. in the same household). In addition, spousal caregivers with higher caregiving intensity, and older caregivers to someone in healthcare institutions with higher caregiving intensity are two main risk groups for greater loneliness. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between loneliness and caregiving situations among older caregivers. Remarkably, more service programs are needed to support older caregiver who support loved ones in healthcare institutions.

SOCIAL NETWORK AND CAREGIVING EXPERIENCE AMONG SPOUSE AND ADULT-CHILD DEMENTIA CAREGIVERS: A MEDIATION ANALYSIS

Abstract Evidence on differences in social network and their roles in associations between types of family caregivers and caregiving experience is limited. Based on the stress process model (SPM), we aimed to explore the different levels and interactions of social network and caregiving experience among spouses and adult-child caregivers. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted on a total of 146 dementia family caregivers (78 adult-child, and 68 spouses) in China. Data collection comprised four sections: (a) care-related stressors, (b) caregivers’ context, (c) social network using Lubben social network scale, and caregiving experience using short-form Zarit burden interview, and nine-item positive aspects of caregiving (PAC) scale. Linear regression, mediation model analysis, and interactive analysis were performed to explore associations between variables. Spouses experienced lower social network (β= -0.294, P=0.008) and higher PAC (β= 0.234, P=0.003) than adult-child caregivers, whereas no significant difference was found in caregiver burden between two groups. Mediation analysis suggested that associations between caregiver type and caregiver burden were indirect-only mediation effects by social network(β=0.140, 95%CI=0.066 to 0.228). The mediation effect of social network on caregiver type and PAC was the suppressing effect, and the interaction effect was significant (P for interaction =0.025). A higher social network was associated with higher positive aspects of caregiving among the spouse subgroup (β= 0.341, P=0.003). Social networks mediate responses to caregiving experiences among different care provider types and are vital intervention targets, especially for spousal caregivers. Our results can serve as references for identifying caregivers for clinical intervention.

CAREGIVERS WITH MODIFIABLE RISK FACTORS FOR DEMENTIA: LEVERAGING EXISTING PUBLIC HEALTH STRATEGIES

Abstract Caregivers are more likely to self-report subjective cognitive decline, an early indicator of possible future Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD), than non-caregivers. Research has identified potential modifiable risk factors for ADRD. To estimate the prevalence of eight modifiable risk factors for ADRD (i.e., high blood pressure, physical inactivity, obesity, type 2 diabetes, depression, current smoking, hearing loss, and binge drinking) among caregivers and non-caregivers, this study analyzed 2021 BRFSS data from 40 jurisdictions that conducted the caregiver module. Among respondents aged ≥18 years (n=232,772), we estimated prevalence of risk factors among caregivers and non-caregivers by selected demographic and health characteristics and the distribution of these characteristics by caregiving status and health condition of care recipient. Significant differences were assessed using t-tests (p&amp;lt; 0.05). Overall, caregivers reported significantly higher prevalence of six out of eight modifiable risk factors for ADRD examined (i.e., high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, depression, current cigarette smoking, hearing loss) compared with non-caregivers, including high blood pressure (38.8% versus 32.6%), depression (25.1% versus 18.4%), and cigarette smoking (17.2% versus 12.1%). Caregivers of persons living with ADRD reported high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, and hearing loss more often than other types of caregivers. These findings suggest caregivers, especially caregivers of persons living with ADRD, can benefit from existing state-based public health strategies to reduce chronic conditions, such as heart health education and programming. The management of chronic diseases is also beneficial to the brain health of caregivers.

PAID CAREGIVERS PROVIDE SOCIAL SUPPORT TO FAMILY CAREGIVERS OF OLDER ADULTS WITH DEMENTIA

Abstract Family caregivers support older adults with dementia to age in place but often experience caregiver strain, though sharing the care with paid caregivers could reduce such strain. We investigated the potential synergy between family caregivers and paid caregivers. In summer 2021, we conducted 14 interviews with family caregivers (6), home care workers (3), and social workers who work with family caregivers and home care agencies (5). We audio-recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed our interviews. Our analysis revealed 4 types of support family caregivers received from paid caregivers: 2 centering on the family caregiver as an individual (“person-centered”) and 2 on the relational role the individual holds as a family caregiver (“relationship-centered”). (1) Family caregivers felt positive, emotional bonding with paid caregivers, describing them as “part of the family”. (2) Family caregivers valued instrumental aid from paid caregivers, paradoxically for tasks that are beyond their formal responsibilities, e.g., feeding pets. (3) Family caregivers recognized and valued expert personal care provided to their loved ones by highly experienced paid caregivers. (4) Family caregivers valued paid caregivers’ sharing information about their loved ones and their living situations, especially when family caregivers lived separately from their loved ones. Paid caregivers may reduce or prevent family caregiver strain by providing person- and relationship-centered to family caregivers. Home care agencies should foster the relationship between paid caregivers and family caregivers.

THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS: THE FAMILY SHAME OF ELDER ABUSE

Abstract Elder abuse (EA) has been recognized as a serious public health concern. Recent studies have found that approximately 10% of community-dwelling, cognitively intact older adults experience some form of EA each year. Although EA research has made substantial progress, EA is often under-reported, with only an estimated 15% of cases being reported to formal support services. One of the main reasons for the under-reporting of EA is the victims’ feelings of shame, which have been shown to be exacerbated when the perpetrator is a family member and/or an individual with whom the older adults have close trusting relationships. Qualitative interviews conducted with 12 older adult (parent) and adult child caregiver dyads (n=24) revealed that older adults who experience EA by their adult children experience intense shame. Thematic analysis focused on what led to these feelings of shame, and this resulted in four main themes: (1) Failure in their role as a parent; (2) Adult children viewing them as powerless and unworthy; (3) Experiencing negative psychological effects; and (4) Self-blame. With a sense of responsibility to protect their family, older adults tend to keep ‘family shame’ to themselves, leading to a reluctance to disclose EA. As spouses and adult children, the two most common caregiving types, have also been reported to be the two most common groups of EA perpetrators, gaining a better understanding of the root causes of shame can help to support older adults in living safely in their homes and communities for as long as possible.

Strategy for Creating Evidence‐based Educational Programs

AbstractBackgroundTo address the challenges of caregiving, the Alzheimer’s Association offers a range of educational programs, both in‐person and virtual, on a variety of topics, including understanding Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, communication and dementia‐related behaviors, and financial literacy. The Association has a concerted effort to offer programs that meet the needs of their constituents, while also ensuring the programs are evidence‐based. The Association has developed a strategy for proving the evidence‐base of their educational programs and are systematically conducting studies on these programs.MethodThis strategy includes creating an academic collaboration with an expert researcher in the field. Additionally, collaborations are created with community partners to aid with recruitment and implementation. Recruitment is another important aspect of the strategy that must be individualized depending on the program; however we have the benefit of using our caregiving network. The methodology also is thought through carefully, including the program ‘dose’, outcomes, and the inclusion of data collection periods.ResultAdditionally, in the process of the creation and evaluation of a program, it is important to consider the generalizability and application of the program, which must then be integrated into the research design. For the Association, this approach includes developing programs that are scalable and accessible, including multiple modes of delivery, engaging diverse and underserved communities, creating Spanish versions, including all types of caregivers (including both dementia and non‐dementia caregivers). To accomplish this, caregivers are engaged throughout the entire process and the Association’s chapter network of 70 local chapters is utilized on the ground‐level to recruit and disseminate the program through community educators and community partnerships.ConclusionOverall, during this session, the strategy behind building an evidence‐base for educational programs will be discussed in‐depth and we will examine the balance that is needed to fill the need within the target population and community, ensure the program is interactive and engaging, and create a scientifically‐sound methodology.