Article by Kathleen Thomas, Department of Family Services
(Posted 2022 April)
George Mason University (GMU) Department of Social Work invites care partners who are caring for a loved one with dementia to participate in Mason CARES, a research study about care partner stress-management. The program aims to reduce care partner stress/burden and increase care partner well-being.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, family care partners provide more than 80% of the daily care of older adults in the U.S. In 2019, more than 16.1 million unpaid family care partners of people with dementia assumed caregiving tasks because of declining cognitive and physical functioning among older adults. They report there is evidence that affordable interventions can be effective in reducing care partner stress and increasing care partner well-being for families challenged with dementia.
Care partners are invited to enroll in the 9-week evidence-based Stress-Busting Program (SBP) for Family Caregivers™. The virtual program will include support to caregivers from the George Mason University Mason CARES team. George Mason Cares will collect information about stress and well-being before, during, and after the study ends. Upon completion of the SBP, the team will follow up with continued support for one month. Time commitment will be no more than 30 – 90 minutes per week depending on weekly activities. All participating care partners will receive:
- Materials for the SBP including access to the recordings and equipment
- Information regarding Music & Memory®, a program that improves the quality of life of persons living with dementia by using personalized music to access long-held joyful memories and positive emotions, and needed equipment including:
- An MP3 player, headphones, iTunes gift card, and assistance building a personalized playlist.
- $50 for completing the study
Care partners interested in participating can visit https://gerontology.socialwork.gmu.edu/masoncares/ for more information and to begin the registration process. For additional questions regarding the Mason CARES program, please contact the Mason CARES team or call 571-492-4188.
This article is part of the Golden Gazette monthly newsletter which covers a variety of topics and community news concerning older adults and caregivers in Fairfax County. Are you new to the Golden Gazette? Don’t miss out on future newsletters! Subscribe to get the electronic or free printed version mailed to you. Have a suggestion for a topic? Share it in an email or call 703-324-GOLD (4653).