WS Chronicle

By David Winship

Are you helping a relative who has memory problems?

Family caregivers make a profound impact, providing emotional support, hands-on care and strength that often go unseen.  Much attention and many studies have addressed the situation and difficulties faced in managing dementia of a spouse, partner or parent. November is National Family Caregivers Month, recognizing their contributions, spreading awareness, and showing gratitude.

The Center for Gerontology at Virginia Tech is conducting a study of the response experiences of other relatives to the individuals encountering and enduring dementia. These extended relatives include siblings and their children, grandchildren, or step-kin. 

“In the last decades, we’ve seen societal changes such as longer lifespans, more people choosing not to have children and/or marry, and more blended families, such as second marriages and stepfamilies. Although many people have spouses and adult children to help them cope with memory problems, it’s important to understand the situations of people who may not have an adult child or spouse to rely on,” said Dr. Brandy Renee McCann, lead researcher and contact for the CareEx project. 

The CareEx research study is designed to understand the experiences of extended or non-immediate family members who help a relative living with dementia, including their service use, needs and challenges. The information gathered will help comprehend how families manage and cope with caring for a relative with dementia.

The study is currently interviewing a matched sample of adult children and spouses, particularly from North Carolina. Because the study plans to compare caregiving dynamics across groups, they are interviewing spouses/partners and adult children in addition to extended kin. There is a particular need to interview sons who are helping a parent with dementia. 

The study is conducted by telephone interviews, an initial interview and daily follow-up conversations, and participants will receive compensation for their time. Participants in the study must be over 18 years of age, in Virginia or surrounding states, including North Carolina, and the relative does not live in a nursing home or assisted living. Those participating will be in face-to-face contact with the person with dementia at least three days a week.

The discussions will be confidential and shared only with other members of the research team. The results will be presented in summary form. 

No individual information will be identified in presentations, reports or transcripts. The Virginia Tech Human Research Protection Program, which is responsible for the oversight of the protection of human subjects in research, may view the study’s data for auditing purposes.

If you are interested in finding more information or participating in the study, please visit the website CareEx.isce.vt.edu, email CareEx@vt.edu or call 540-231-9250. 

David Winship studied gerontology at the Virginia Tech Center for Gerontology and lives in Bristol, Tennessee. He has been involved in programs at the Intergenerational Centers for Arts and Wellness and is a member of Winston-Salem Writers.