Promoting resilience in dementia caregivers: roybal centers for translational research on dementia care provider support

Providing care for family members with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias (ADRD) is an increasingly common experience for older adults and can present both challenges to mental health and opportunities for resilience and growth. Compared to non-caregivers, dementia caregivers greater stress and depressive and anxiety symptoms, greater social disconnection (isolation, low social support, loneliness), faster aging-related cognitive decline, and worse physical health (National Academies of Sciences, 2021). However, some caregivers report positive aspects of the caregiving experience, including enhanced purpose in life. Numerous studies document benefits of behavioral interventions for caregiving stress for individuals with dementia and caregivers. However, these interventions are not routinely offered, and no single intervention stands out as clearly evidence based. One limiting factor is a lack of understanding of the mechanisms whereby interventions work that could be used to ensure interventions are delivered outside research contexts in ways that retain essential ingredients, allow adaption to diverse populations, and can be flexibly delivered given limited resources. The National Institute on Aging funds four Roybal Centers for Translational Research on Dementia Care Provider Support and tasks these Centers with conducting mechanism-focused clinical trials to improve caregiver outcomes, in line with the NIH Stage Model of Intervention Development (Onken et al., 2014). This panel will address the conference theme of resilience and diversity in aging by describing the work of two Roybal Centers, one focused on social connectedness and another on caregiving mastery, including engagement with diverse caregiver populations. Dr. Van Orden is a Co-Director of the Rochester Roybal Center for Social Ties & Aging Research and will begin the session with a brief overview of the Rochester and Emory Roybal Centers, including the pilot award programs. Next, investigators will present their work to illustrate research being done by the Centers and highlight areas for potential synergies. First, Dr. Emily Bower, a Co-investigator at the Rochester Roybal Center, will present findings from a pilot study on Engage Coaching for Caregivers, a brief coaching program to reduce loneliness in ADRD caregivers. Dr. Quiñones-Cordero will describe ongoing collaborative efforts between the Rochester and Emory Centers to culturally adapt a skills-based and mastery building intervention for Hispanic caregivers.