Dementia

Study: CARES intervention reduces stress for family caregivers of older adults with dementia

Study: CARES intervention reduces stress for family caregivers of older adults with dementia.

New findings published in the Journal for Applied Gerontology by College of Public Health researchers suggest that personalized music intervention, especially with songs from adolescence and early adulthood, is effective at reducing the use of medication, alleviating agitation levels, and enhancing mood and social engagement among nursing home residents living with dementia.

Interprofessional research study from George Mason University found that family caregivers of older adults living with dementia experienced a 15% drop in stress after a 9-week online peer support program  

With the grant,College of Public Health professor Y. Alicia Hong and an interdisciplinary team aim to improve caregiving skills, reduce social distress, and improve quality of life for caregivers. 

Led by Alicia Hong, professor of Health Administration and Policy, the interdisciplinary team developed a culturally-tailored WeChat wellness program to improve caregiver skills and reduce their stress.

The next part of our Innovate for Good series explores how College of Health and Human Services faculty are expanding research on dementia and palliative care with grants from Mason’s Institute for Digital Innovation.

by Cathy Tompkins, PhD; Janusz Wojtusiak, PhD; Reyhaneh Nia; and Katharine Campos