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

项目摘要/摘要 在美国诊断出近600万例阿尔茨海默病和相关痴呆(ADRD) 在2019年的全球范围内，残疾儿童照顾者的健康和福祉至关重要。促进健康 而ADRD照顾者的福祉是支持这些无偿ADRD护理主食的有效方式。 尽管针对ADRD照顾者的干预措施继续加速，但很少有人注意到 照顾者对支持性服务的使用率仍然低得惊人。此K99/R00应用程序的目标是 是使法尔扎拉诺博士能够发展必要的专业知识来设计、实施和评估研究 侧重于利用技术来支持和满足ADRD照顾者的各种需求。在K99公路上 在阶段，法尔扎拉诺博士将努力实现五个培训目标，这将使她准备过渡到 成为设计和评估循证技术的独立调查员，以增强 为照顾者量身定做的支持。首先，她将在包括痴呆症在内的实质性领域扩展自己的知识 照顾以及前端和后端软件开发。第二，她将学会如何发展， 实施并测试强调与社区合作伙伴协作的行为干预措施。 第三，她将接受统计方法方面的培训，以检查可行性、可接受性和初步 随机对照试验(RCT)的有效性。第四，她将学习测量发展 以及对ADRD照顾者的评估的心理测量验证。第五，法尔扎拉诺博士将追求专业 发展活动，特别是在赠款的编写、领导和研究与培训的整合等领域 网站开发团队。选定的四个拟议研究目标是对以下方面的补充 职业发展。目标1a将提供必要的培训和经验，为法尔扎拉诺博士提供 开展拟议研究所需的关键技能。Aim 1b将包括对ADRD照顾者的采访，以 确定使用服务的需求、意识、障碍和意愿。AIM 1c将利用关键利益相关者 (痴呆症护理专家)提供投入，以确定与目标1b中确定的需要领域相对应的现有服务。 AIM 2将利用从护理人员和利益相关者那里收集的数据，为迭代开发和 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，使用 机器学习模型，用于识别和分类需求并提供有针对性的服务输出 建议。目标3将包括对该工具的内容、设计、功能和服务产出的分析， 它将根据ADRD护理员的反馈进行迭代改进。一项随机对照试验将 在目标4中进行，以确定CRR作为一种工具的可行性、可接受性和初步效力 提高对相关服务的认识和获得相关服务，以满足未得到满足的需求和改善心理健康。 这项拟议的研究与NIA促进研究发展的战略倡议非常一致 研究老龄化的科学家，并开发和测试有前景的干预措施，以改善ADRD照顾者的预后。

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.