P324
Oral Sessions: O2-05: Public Health and Psychosocial Focus: Caregiving
allow clinical trials in Alzheimer’s and MCI to be conducted on a multicenter basis. ORAL SESSIONS: O2-05 PUBLIC HEALTH AND PSYCHOSOCIAL FOCUS: CAREGIVING O2-05-01
THE SOCIAL EXPERIENCES OF SPOUSES OF PERSONS WITH YOUNG-ONSET DEMENTIA (YOD): SOCIAL CHANGE, SUPPORT AND RESILIENCY
Stacey Hawkins, Carrie McAiney, Margaret Denton, Jenny Ploeg, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Contact e-mail:
[email protected] Background: Young-onset dementia (YOD; onset before 65) accounts for approximately 5-9% of the total dementia population. The majority of caregiving is provided on an informal basis, often by the affected person’s spouse. There is little qualitative interview research that has focused specifically on the social experiences of YOD spousal caregivers, and none within the Canadian context. The purpose of this study was to explore the social experiences of spouses of persons with YOD within the Canadian context. Methods: In this descriptive, qualitative study, semi-structured, faceto-face interviews were conducted to explore the nature of spouses’ social experiences. Participants were recruited through Alzheimer Society Chapters in Ontario. Ten YOD spousal caregivers living in Ontario participated. Interviews included open-ended questions on social experiences such as recreational activities and social change. Interview transcripts were coded using NVivo 9 and analyzed using inductive content analysis. Results: Participants (6 females, 4 males) had a mean age of 55 (sd¼6.45), and all were currently employed. Persons with YOD had a mean age of 61 (sd¼4.33). One spouse was currently working, and three were living in a long-term care home. Qualitative analysis revealed four emergent themes relevant to social experiences: giving up activities in favour of new activities, sources of social support, adapting and maintaining social and recreational activities, and social spaces as safe spaces. Participants frequently described giving up social and recreational activities due to fear of leaving their spouse home alone. Participants discussed adapting social and recreational activities in order to include their spouse, or simply to accommodate their caregiving obligations. Additionally, many participants cited experiences where their friends and family had avoided them and their spouse, or treated their spouse with YOD as though they were non-existent. Conclusions: New themes included giving up activities in favour of new activities and social spaces as safe spaces. Results highlight the complex nature of these social experiences, and ultimately challenge our theoretical understanding of the dementia caregiver experience. Additionally, these findings carry practical significance; results provide specific suggestions for improvement of social services focused on caregiver support. O2-05-02
MASTERY, STRESS AND PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH IN DEMENTIA CAREGIVERS
Linda McAuliffe, Glynda Kinsella, Ben Ong, Rhonda Nay, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia. Contact e-mail: l.mcauliffe@ latrobe.edu.au Background: A substantial body of research has demonstrated that caregivers of people with dementia have an increased risk of developing depression and anxiety. It has been suggested that personal mastery, defined as self-belief in control of future life circumstances, may be related to levels of perceived stress, depression and anxiety in dementia caregivers. This study set out to investigate the relationship between personal mastery and these variables, along with the variable of positive caregiver appraisals. Methods: A nation-wide survey of dementia caregivers was conducted in Australia. Survey measures included the Personal Mastery Scale (Pearlin & Schooler, 1978), Zarit Burden Interview (short form; Bedard et al., 2001), the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995), and the positive appraisal subscale of the Family Appraisal of Caregiving Questionnaire (Cooper et al., 2006). Demographic information was also collected. Results: A total of 106 surveys were returned. Respondents were predominantly female (76%), spouses (70%), identified themselves as the primary
carer (93%), and were living with the person with dementia (82%). There was a strong, positive correlation between personal mastery and depression (rho ¼ .51, n ¼ 81, p < .01), with low levels of personal mastery associated with higher levels of depression. Further analyses revealed moderate, positive correlations between personal mastery and anxiety (rho ¼ .39, n ¼ 83, p < .01) and perceived burden (rho ¼ .39, n ¼ 82, p < .01), with low levels of mastery associated with higher levels of anxiety and burden. Aweak, negative correlation was found between personal mastery and positive appraisals (rho ¼ -.28, n ¼ 84, p < .01), with low levels of mastery associated with lower levels of positive appraisals. Conclusions: The finding that mastery has a relationship with psychological health outcomes such as depression, burden and anxiety has important implications for the design of future dementia caregiver intervention programs. O2-05-03
COPING AND POSITIVE ASPECTS OF CAREGIVING: A CROSS-CULTURAL STUDY OF CHINESE DEMENTIA CAREGIVERS IN PHOENIX AND THEIR COUNTERPARTS IN SHANGHAI
Fei Sun1, Hui Shen2, 1Arizona State University, Phoenix, Arizona, United States; 2Nanjing University, Nanjing, China. Contact e-mail: shenhui@nju. edu.cn Background: Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders (ADRD) is becoming a prevalent concern of family caregivers (CGs) around the world. Previous studies have largely focused on the negative side of dementia caregiving. From a strength-based perspective, this study aims to examine the positive aspects of dementia caregiving and coping in Chinese-background family CGs in the U.S. and their counterparts in China. Methods: Data came from the investigator’s two projects: the 2009 Chinese family CG study in Shanghai, China and the baseline interview data from a 12month longitudinal qualitative study on Chinese American family CGs collected between 2010 and 2011 in Phoenix and China. Shanghai CGs (n¼18) aged 53 to 82, consisting of 14 spousal CGs and 4 adult children CGs. CGs from Phoenix (n¼ 21) aged from 43 to 81; 7 spousal CGs, 13 adult children CGs and 1 friend CG. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect information regarding positive aspects of caregiving, strategies used to manage caregiving stress, and cultural explanations of their appraisal of caregiving situations and behaviors. Results: Thematic analysis suggests three themes across two groups. 1) Positive aspects of caregiving include increased CG self-competence, CG better connection with the CR, rewarding feelings arising from maintaining quality of care to the CR, and validation from family members and community; 2) CGs draw on personality, spirituality, cultural beliefs and approaches (i.e., filial piety, family cohesion, alternative medicine), technology, and informal networks as coping strategies; 3) CG optimistic personality, creativity in problem solving and spirituality tend to lead to more positive aspect of caregiving. Shanghai CGs perceived salient stress from the sociopolitical environment, such as societal prejudice against AD patients and complicated medical reimbursement procedures, while Phoenix CGs tended to comment on the positive aspects of the U.S. health and social service systems but also reported less support from their ethnic community. Conclusions: Facilitation positive aspects of caregiving should be a core intervention component. More effort is needed to help decrease ADRD stigma in society and remove barriers to access health care services in Shanghai. Service agencies in Phoenix should encourage CGs to use their initiative to develop culturally appropriate coping strategies.
O2-05-04
RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL OF A TELEPHONE-DELIVERED INTERVENTION (FITT-CAREGIVER) FOR DEMENTIA CAREGIVERS
Geoffrey Tremont1, Jennifer Davis1, Christine Grover2, Kimberly Bryant2, Brian Ott3, George Papandonatos3, Richard Fortinsky4, Pedro Gozalo3, Duane Bishop2, 1Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States; 2Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, United States; 3Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United
