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Date of Study

May 1, 2024

Service Type

Target Populations

Key Outcomes

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Caring for Caregivers Model

Citation: Carbonell, E.L. (2023). "Caring for Caregivers' model addresses needs of those looking after others. Health Progress, 104 (3), 60-63. .https://www.chausa.org/publications/health-progress/archive/article/spring-2023/aging--caring-for-caregivers-model-addresses-needs-of-those-looking-after-other .

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Caregivers play a critical role in the long-term care system, but often experience significant stress and anxiety, with many showing signs of depression. The Caring for Caregivers model is designed to change the way that health systems identify and address caregiver needs, while providing education and supporting caregivers to improve their and their care recipients’ well-being. First, caregivers meet with a social worker or other mental health professional who assesses their needs and works with them to develop a customized intervention plan. Depending on the need, they will be connected to skill-building meetings with physical therapists, occupational therapists, nurses, dieticians, pharmacists and social workers who will work help them learn to care for themselves and their care recipients in ways related to the 4Ms of an Age-Friendly Health System (What matters, Medication, Mentation and Mobility). Caregivers are also engaged in Planning for What Matters sessions, which help caregivers and care recipients identify what matters to each and develop individualized care plans that reflect these values and goals. Caregivers and recipients are also involved in care team planning meetings to learn how to communicate and work with the care team.

The caregiver and mental health professional complete a set of evidence-based tools, including the shortened version of the Burden Scale for Family Caregivers, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 to assess depression; and the General Anxiety Disorder-7 to assess anxiety. After the caregiver completes the recommended interventions, they are reassessed at one, three and six months. Paired sample t-tests indicate statistically significant reductions in all three measures at 1 and three months, with significant reductions in burden at six months. Preliminary results also show statistically significant reductions in inpatient days, inpatient stays and ED visits at six months, particularly when the analysis was limited to care recipients that had any inpatient or emergency department visits.