Due to high residential care costs, individuals with dementia are remaining in their community and relying on informal caregivers (Vreugdenhil, 2014). Providing unpaid care for individuals with dementia can negatively impact the caregiver physically and psychologically resulting in caregiver burden (Thompson, Bridier, Leonard, & Morse, 2018). In previous literature, caregivers reported they lacked education on the physical, psychosocial, and
environmental characteristics related to the caregiving process (Kort & van Hoof, 2014; Lestari et al., 2018; Wawrziczny et al., 2017; Weisman de Mamani et al., 2018). In attempt to decrease caregiver burden, the purpose of this doctoral capstone experience was to develop an educational resource for caregivers to increase their knowledge in relevant topic areas. The doctoral capstone experience was completed at an adult day center serving 20 participants with physical and cognitive impairments. After completing the needs assessment, caregivers were sent a survey to gather further sociodemographic and educational need information. A Caregiver Resource Manual was created during the initial 12 weeks of doctoral capstone experience and forty-eight copies were made. The Caregiver Resource Manuals were presented to caregivers in a caregiver in-service with a pre/post-test to measure knowledge gained during the in-service. Results of pre/post- test indicated an increase in knowledge of common terms and definitions relating to dementia care. Manuals were distributed to the caregivers who were unable to attend the in-service. After completion of the doctoral capstone experience, manuals will continue to be given to all caregivers upon their loved one's admission to the program.

Creator

• Farmer, Samantha

Contributors

• DeCleene Huber, Kate E.

Publisher

• University of Indianapolis

Language

• en

Identifier

• Farmer.S.OTD2019.pdf

Keyword

• Occupational Therapy

Date created

• 2019-05

Resource type

• Dissertation

Source

• S18

Rights statement

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/