Connect for Caregivers

'Connect for Caregivers' - Developing a Brief Intervention for Social Connectedness

Connect for Caregivers is a intervention feasibility pilot study. The purpose of the study is to pilot test a newly developed single session behavioral intervention to help caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's Disease or related dementias gain understanding of the importance of increasing social connectedness, awareness of their personal barriers to connectedness, and knowledge of local resources for promoting connectedness.

Connect for Caregivers is a intervention feasibility pilot study. We use a mixed methods approach to initiate the development and testing process for a single session behavioral intervention to help caregivers gain understanding of the importance of increasing connectedness, awareness of their personal barriers to connectedness, and knowledge of local resources for promoting connectedness. The intervention-"Connect 4 Caregivers"-has three components: 1) psychoeducational materials on the importance of connectedness for health and wellbeing; 2) a card sort-based 'discussion prioritization tool' that systematizes and routinizes the process of identifying and prioritizing barriers to connectedness; 3) personalized resources to address the identified barriers/targets.

Aim 1 is to investigate whether Connect for Caregivers is associated with a signal for efficacy for changing connectedness by having n=5 caregivers complete the single session intervention and provide quantitative and qualitative data on their experience with the intervention and motivation to work on increasing their social connectedness (a signal for potential efficacy).

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age ≥ 50 yrs;
2. English speaking;
3. Caregiver (age 50 or older) for a community-dwelling family member with ADRD, living with (or in close proximity to) family member with dementia;
4. Elevated caregiving distress: Above population mean (>11) on 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) and/or at least moderate caregiver strain (score >= 5) on the Modified Caregiver Strain Index (MCSI).
5. Social connectedness: UCLA Loneliness Scale: Short Form score of >5.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Primary language is not English;
2. Current problem drinking on the AUDIT-C (score of 5 or greater indicating exclusion);
3. Current non-alcohol psychoactive substance abuse (MINI Neuropsychiatric Interview), psychotic disorders (current and lifetime, MINI), bipolar disorder (MINI), and current mood disorder with psychotic features (MINI);
4. Significant cognitive impairment (MOCA <22); and
5. Hearing problems that preclude completion of the intervention.