Caregiver Tools and Education
The Saint Louis University Gateway Geriatric Education Center (GEC) has several tools and educational resources especially for family/friend caregivers of people with a dementia. These resources are updated and added to as we learn more about the needs of caregivers.
Approximately 34.2 million adults in the United States annually deliver care to a family member, according to a 2015 estimate by the AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving.
Caring for a loved one is not a role for which most of us are prepared, but a job that nonetheless often becomes part of our future. Family and friend caregivers provide a range of caregiving tasks from occasional transportation and shopping to in the home, round-the-clock skilled care.
Health care providers in their professional role often interact with the person with a dementia but may not know about the caregiver’s experience except from “on-the-job” learning by talking with their patients and those who care for them. Few in the health care field receive formal training that prepares them for understanding the roles, needs and challenges of caregiving or the effective interventions that might support the caregiver and enhance the quality of life for both the care-recipient and the caregiver.
Our Caregivers Like Me video supports Latino caregivers in examining ways that health care workers can support the caregiver and the one with a dementia to stay in their home longer if that is their wish.
An evidence-based approach, Individual Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (iCST) can be used by caregivers and friends to help improve memory and cognitive capability for their loved ones with dementia.
Another tool that might be helpful to those working with caregivers is the Training Manual for Facilitators of Family/Friend Caregiver Support Groups, which consists of seven modules that can be used to help caregivers in their journey of caring for one with dementia.
This website also includes resources and references on caregiving that provide education for family, caregivers, health care providers and friends so that all involved in this journey better understand the needs and possible ways to make caring better for all involved.
To learn more, email aging@slu.edu.
Our Caregiver Resources
Rapid Caregiver Well-Being Scale
Caregiver Videos/Radio Broadcasts
- Family Caregivers feel the strain as more people choose to age at home, St. Louis Public Radio, June 19, 2018
- Caregiving: Caregiver Well-Being: Working with Dementia Caregivers in Practice, Presented by Max Zubatsky, Ph.D., LMFT at Geriatric Grand Rounds on April 20, 2016, at Saint Louis University.
- Understanding the Decision for Hospice: The Importance of Family and Advance Care
Planning
Presented at Geriatric Grand Rounds by Cara Wallace on March 23, 2016, recorded at Saint Louis University School of Medicine - Caregivers Like Me (English Version)
Published on Nov 26, 2014
Caregiver stress is often undetected among Latino family members of patients with dementia or chronic illness. It is common for Latino families not to seek professional help from health care providers. However, the early intervention of a professional health care provider may entail further assistance for the family to keep patients at home and avoid an unnecessary hospital or nursing home stay. Latino family caregivers are in great need of supportive understanding. - Caregivers Like Me (Spanish Version)
Published on Dec 3, 2014
El estrés del cuidador es a menudo sin ser detectado entre los miembros de la familia latinos de los pacientes con demencia o enfermedad crónica. Es común que las familias latinas no buscar ayuda profesional de los proveedores de atención de la salud. Sin embargo, la temprana intervención de un proveedor profesional de la salud puede implicar una mayor asistencia para la familia para mantener a los pacientes en casa y evitar el hospital innecesaria o estancia hogar de ancianos. Cuidadores familiares latinos tienen una gran necesidad de entendimiento de apoyo.
Disclaimer
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number U1QHP28716 Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program for $750,000. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government.