TY - JOUR
T1 - The Senior Companion Program Plus
T2 - An Innovative Training Approach for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia
AU - Fields, Noelle L.
AU - Xu, Ling
AU - Williams, Ishan C.
AU - Gaugler, Joseph E.
AU - Cipher, Daisha J.
AU - Cassidy, Jessica
AU - Feinhals, Gretchen
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 by the authors.
PY - 2023/7
Y1 - 2023/7
N2 - African Americans adults are disproportionately affected by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) and are underrepresented in research about ADRD. Reducing gaps in the knowledge about ADRD in the African American community is important for addressing dementia care disparities. The existing psychoeducation interventions are often limited by cost and scalability; for these reasons, lay provider (i.e., volunteer) interventions are of increasing interest in ADRD research. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a training of African American Senior Companion (SC) volunteers (n = 11) with dementia-specific knowledge (i.e., Senior Companion Program/SCP Plus), as part of a culturally informed, in-home, psychoeducational intervention for African American ADRD family caregivers. Learning outcomes were measured pre- and post-training, using the Knowledge of Alzheimer’s Disease/dementia scale (KAD), the Sense of Competence Questionnaire, and the Preparedness for Caregiving Scale. The results showed significant improvements in knowledge of Alzheimer’s disease/dementia, one competence item, “It is clear to me how much care my care recipient needs”, and preparedness for caregiving. Overall, the study findings suggest the SCP Plus is a promising, culturally relevant, and potentially scalable lay provider training for ADRD with potential benefits that augment the existing Senior Companion Program.
AB - African Americans adults are disproportionately affected by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) and are underrepresented in research about ADRD. Reducing gaps in the knowledge about ADRD in the African American community is important for addressing dementia care disparities. The existing psychoeducation interventions are often limited by cost and scalability; for these reasons, lay provider (i.e., volunteer) interventions are of increasing interest in ADRD research. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a training of African American Senior Companion (SC) volunteers (n = 11) with dementia-specific knowledge (i.e., Senior Companion Program/SCP Plus), as part of a culturally informed, in-home, psychoeducational intervention for African American ADRD family caregivers. Learning outcomes were measured pre- and post-training, using the Knowledge of Alzheimer’s Disease/dementia scale (KAD), the Sense of Competence Questionnaire, and the Preparedness for Caregiving Scale. The results showed significant improvements in knowledge of Alzheimer’s disease/dementia, one competence item, “It is clear to me how much care my care recipient needs”, and preparedness for caregiving. Overall, the study findings suggest the SCP Plus is a promising, culturally relevant, and potentially scalable lay provider training for ADRD with potential benefits that augment the existing Senior Companion Program.
KW - African American
KW - Alzheimer’s disease
KW - caregiving
KW - culturally informed
KW - dementia
KW - lay provider
KW - training
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85164983987&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85164983987&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/healthcare11131966
DO - 10.3390/healthcare11131966
M3 - Article
C2 - 37444800
AN - SCOPUS:85164983987
SN - 2227-9032
VL - 11
JO - Healthcare (Switzerland)
JF - Healthcare (Switzerland)
IS - 13
M1 - 1966
ER -