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MENTAL HEALTH
CHALLENGES

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agnosis, the progression of dementia, and community resources. proach to dementia and family caregiving. As awareness in the com-
The “Essentials of Caregiving” is a six-week course provided in a munity is increased, opportunities for supporting people with de-
discussion format that focuses on understanding a diagnosis of mentia and their family caregivers are also increased. The invisible
Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia, transitioning into the care- role of the family caregiver contributes to the difficulty caregivers
giving role, care planning including aspects of legal, financial, and experience in navigating and accessing available resources and sup-
medical care, and self-care for the caregiver. port when needed. As shared by a community partner, “One of the
Although over 50% of family caregivers take on medical and nurs- things that we’ve recognized is that many caregivers don’t recognize
ing care, few receive training for this care and most learn by trial and themselves as caregivers. So education, I think, is extremely impor-
error. We provide “Skills Training Workshop”, a hands-on-workshop tant to get the word out.”
facilitated by a team of healthcare professionals, to provide family Our goal is to transform care for family caregivers of persons
caregivers with information and opportunities to practice care tech- with dementia in San Antonio and South Texas so that they have
niques that include fall prevention, transfers, communication, med- their own health and well-being assessed and addressed. Recognition
ication management, oral hygiene, and home safety. This is a unique and support for family caregivers is among the most significant
resource offered to family caregivers in San Antonio. Although the overlooked challenges facing the aging U.S. population, their fami-
1
workshop is focused on family caregivers of people with dementia, lies, and society. Our systems of care must ensure that family care-
these workshops are also attended by caregivers who are providing givers have up-to-date health information and support that they
care for a family member with stroke, Parkinson’s disease, or other need, when they need it, as caregiving changes and evolves. We must
neurodegenerative disease. We also provide the Virtual Dementia strive to recognize the uniqueness and diversity of family caregivers
Tour (Second Winds Dream ) as part of these workshops and to in our city and in supporting family-centered care, consider their
TM
specific groups on request. This is a simulated experience of living caregiving preferences, needs, and strengths as the foundation for
with dementia for 8 minutes, followed by an opportunity to discuss care planning and services.
and explore the experience with a trained facilitator. It is intended
to build empathy among family caregivers and the community, po- References
tentially influencing increased patience and understanding when in- 1 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
teracting with a person living with dementia. Families Caring for an Aging America. Schulz R, Eden J, editors.
To counter the social isolation often experienced by those living Washington, DC: The National Academies Press; 2016.
with dementia and their families, the Caring for the Caregiver pro- 2 Fengler AP, Goodrich N. Wives of elderly disabled men: The
gram hosts several community events, including a memory café and hidden patients. Gerontologist. 1979;19(2):175-83.
Grace Notes, a community choir for people living with dementia 3 Brodaty H, Donkin M. Family caregivers of people with demen-
and their families. Memory cafes provide an environment where tia. Dialogues in Clinical Neurosciences. 2009;11(2):217-28.
persons living with dementia and their family caregivers can learn 4 Brodaty H, Woodward M, Boundy K, et al. Prevalence and pre-
and socialize with others on the same journey. While we often in- dictors of burden in caregivers of people with dementia. Amer-
clude a short educational component, the memory café is tailored ican Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.22(8):756-65.
to the interests of the participants and tends to focus on socializa- 5 Lim JW, Zebrack B. Caring for family members with chronic
tion with games, art activities, and music. physical illness: A critical review of caregiver literature. Health
The Caring for the Caregiver program, School of Nursing col- and Quality of Life Outcomes. 2004;2(1):50.
laborates closely with the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s & 6 National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP Public Policy Insti-
Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Health San Antonio to provide tute. Caregiving in the U.S., 2015.
comprehensive care for persons with dementia and their family care- 7 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures. Alzheimer's & Dementia.
givers across the trajectory of the disease. All programs are provided 2019;15(3):321-87.
free of charge to family caregivers.
For more information about the Caring for the Caregiver pro- Carole L. White, RN, PhD is the Professor and Nancy Smith Hurd Chair
gram and support for family caregivers, please visit https://utcare- in Geriatric Nursing and Aging Studies in the School of Nursing at UT
givers.org/ Health San Antonio and also the director of the Caring for the Caregiver Pro-
Community awareness is the bedrock of a comprehensive ap- gram (https://utcaregivers.org/).

24 San Antonio Medicine • May 2019