The Caregiver Resource Room: Enhancing Support for Caregivers of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD)

项目概要/摘要 在美国，近600万例阿尔茨海默病和相关痴呆症（ADRD）被诊断出来， 在2019年，ADRD护理人员的健康和福祉至关重要。促进健康 和幸福的ADRD照顾者是一种有效的方式来支持这些ADRD护理的无偿斯台普斯。 尽管针对ADRD护理人员的干预措施继续加速，但很少有人关注 照顾者对支持性服务的使用率仍然非常低。本K99/R 00应用程序的目的是 使Falzarano博士能够发展必要的专业知识来设计，实施和评估研究 专注于利用技术来支持和解决ADRD护理人员的各种需求。在K99 在这一阶段，法尔扎拉诺博士将努力实现五个培训目标，为她过渡到 成为一名独立的调查员，设计和评估基于证据的技术， 定制的护理人员支持。首先，她将扩大她在包括痴呆症在内的实质性领域的知识 开发和前端和后端软件开发。其次，她将学习如何发展， 实施和测试行为干预措施，重点是与社区合作伙伴的合作。 第三，她将接受统计方法的培训，以检查可行性，可接受性， 随机对照试验（RCTs）。第四，她将学习测量发展 以及对ADRD照顾者评估的心理测量学验证。第五，Falzarano博士将追求专业 发展活动，特别是在赠款写作，领导力和研究与 Web开发团队选择这四个拟议的研究目标是为了补充已确定的领域， 职业发展。目标1a将提供必要的培训和经验， 开展拟议研究所需的关键技能。目标1b将包括与ADRD护理人员的访谈， 确定使用服务的需求、认识、障碍和意愿。目标1c将利用关键利益相关者 （失智症护理专家）的投入，以确定与目标1b所确定的需求领域相对应的现有服务。 目标2将利用从护理人员和利益相关者收集的数据，为迭代开发提供信息， 设计护理人员资源室（CRR）网站，其中将包括一个数字自我评估工具， 机器学习模型，以识别和分类需求，并提供有针对性的服务输出 建议.目标3将包括对工具的内容、设计、功能和服务输出的分析， 其将基于ADRD护理者反馈迭代地改进。一项随机对照试验将 在目标4中进行，以确定CRR作为工具的可行性、可接受性和初步有效性， 提高对相关服务的认识和获得这些服务的机会，以解决未满足的需求和改善心理健康。 拟议的研究与NIA促进研究发展的战略举措保持一致 科学家在老龄化和开发和测试有前途的干预措施，以改善ADRD照顾者的结果。

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT With nearly 6 million cases of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) diagnosed in the United States in 2019, the health and well-being of ADRD caregivers is of critical importance. Promoting the health and well-being of ADRD caregivers is an effective way to support these unpaid staples of ADRD care. Although interventions targeting ADRD caregivers continues to accelerate, little attention has been paid to caregivers’ use of supportive services, which remains strikingly low. The objective of this K99/R00 application is to enable Dr. Falzarano to develop the necessary expertise to design, implement, and evaluate studies focused on leveraging technology to support and address ADRD caregivers’ multifarious needs. In the K99 phase, Dr. Falzarano will work toward achieving five training objectives that will prepare her to transition to become an independent investigator who designs and evaluates evidence-based technologies to enhance tailored caregiver support. First, she will extend her knowledge in substantive areas including dementia caregiving and front-end and back-end software development. Second, she will learn how to develop, implement, and test behavioral interventions with an emphasis on collaboration with community partners. Third, she will receive training in statistical methods to examine feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Fourth, she will learn about measurement development and psychometric validation of assessments for ADRD caregivers. Fifth, Dr. Falzarano will pursue professional development activities, particularly in the areas of grant writing, leadership, and integration of research and web development teams. The four proposed research aims were chosen to complement the areas identified for career development. Aim 1a will provide the requisite training and experiences to provide Dr. Falzarano with the critical skills needed to conduct the proposed study. Aim 1b will include interviews with ADRD caregivers to identify needs, awareness of, barriers to, and willingness to use services. Aim 1c will leverage key stakeholder (dementia-care experts) input to identify existing services corresponding to areas of need identified in Aim 1b. Aim 2 will leverage data collected from caregivers and stakeholders to inform the iterative development and design of the Caregiver Resource Room (CRR) website, which will include a digital self-assessment tool using machine learning models to identify and categorize needs and provide an output of targeted service recommendations. Aim 3 will include an analysis of the tool’s content, design, features, and services output, which will be iteratively refined based on ADRD caregiver feedback. A randomized controlled trial will be conducted in Aim 4 to determine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of the CRR as a tool to enhance awareness of and access to relevant services to address unmet needs and improve mental health. The proposed research is well-aligned with the NIA’s strategic initiative to foster the development of research scientists in aging and to develop and test promising interventions to improve ADRD caregiver outcomes.