Strengthening Caregiver Support: Assessing and Addressing Caregivers’ Mental Health Needs

Chair(s)

• 

  Christine Gould, PhD (she/her/hers)

  Psychologist
  Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center
  VA Palo Alto Healthcare System
  Palo Alto, California, United States

Co-Chair(s)

• 

  Marika Humber, PhD (she/her/hers)

  Research Health Science Specialist
  Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center
  VA Palo Alto Healthcare System
  Palo Alto, California, United States

Discussant(s)

• RT

  Ranak Trivedi, PhD, FSBM, FGSA (she/her/hers)

  Associate Professor
  Center for Innovation to Implementation
  Stanford University/VA Palo Alto Healthcare System
  Palo Alto, California, United States

Individual Symposium Abstract First Author(s)

• 

  Lauren Moo, MD (she/her/hers)

  NE GRECC Site Director
  New England Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center
  Department of Veterans Affairs
  Bedford, Massachusetts, United States
• 

  Kimberly Van Orden, PhD (she/her/hers)

  Associate Professor
  Psychiatry
  University of Rochester Medical Center
  Rochester, New York, United States
• 

  Marika Humber, PhD (she/her/hers)

  Research Health Science Specialist
  Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center
  VA Palo Alto Healthcare System
  Palo Alto, California, United States
• RV

  Rachel VanPutten, PhD (she/her/hers)

  Psychology Postdoctoral Fellow
  Psychology Service
  VA Palo Alto Healthcare System
  Palo Alto, California, United States

Family caregivers (typically patients’ unpaid relatives/friends) are vital to patient care, but their mental health needs are often overlooked. This may be exacerbated by the fact that the caregiving role can be isolating, stressful, and time-consuming. This symposium highlights promising findings related to the identification of caregiver mental health and well-being needs and potential interventions in the community and Veterans’ Health Administration (VHA). First, Dr. Moo will present findings from a national survey of caregivers of older Veterans that shows the impact of care responsibilities, health care navigation, and environment on caregiver quality of life. Second, Dr. Van Orden will describe her investigation of suicide ideation, perceived burden, and social connection among caregivers of persons with dementia. Third, Dr. Humber will describe the impact of a tele-geriatric psychiatry service in two VHA regions on caregivers of rural-dwelling older Veterans with neurocognitive and or psychiatric disorders. Last, Dr. VanPutten will discuss adaptations of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for caregivers in high-conflict caregiving situations with persons with neurocognitive disorders. She will describe adaptations made to a DBT skills training group related to the influence of caregiver physical health problems on detecting and applying core DBT skills. Dr. Ranak Trivedi, the national Training Director of the Elizabeth Dole National Center of Excellence for Veteran and Caregiver Research and member of the Research Collaborative of the National Alliance of Caregiving, will close with discussion of the presentations and will highlight opportunities for future caregiver mental health research.

Presentations:

• 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM PST

  Influences on Caregivers of Older Veterans' Perceptions of Their Quality of Life: A National Survey
  

  Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Lauren R. Moo, MD (she/her/hers) – Department of Veterans Affairs
• 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM PST

  Perceived Burden on Others, Loneliness, and Suicide Risk in Caregivers
  

  Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Kimberly A. Van Orden, PhD (she/her/hers) – University of Rochester Medical Center
• 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM PST

  Exploring the Impact of Tele-Geriatric Mental Health Services on Rural Caregivers' Well-Being
  

  Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Marika B. Humber, PhD (she/her/hers) – VA Palo Alto Healthcare System
• 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM PST

  Adapting Dialectical Behavior Therapy to Address Caregiver Health in High-Conflict Caregiving Situations
  

  Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Rachel VanPutten, PhD (she/her/hers) – VA Palo Alto Healthcare System