Promoting Social Connection in Dementia Caregivers: A Call for Empirical Development of Targeted Interventions

Abstract

Social connection is an understudied target of intervention for the health of individuals providing care for a family member with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). To guide future research, we discuss considerations for interventions to promote social connection, with a particular focus on reducing loneliness: (a) include caregiver perspectives in designing and delivering interventions; (b) adapt to stages of dementia; (c) consider caregiving demands, including the use of brief interventions; (d) specify and measure mechanisms of action and principles of interventions; (e) consider dissemination and implementation at all stages of research. With support from the National Institute on Aging for a Roybal Center for Translational Research in the Behavioral and Social Sciences of Aging, we are developing a portfolio of mechanism-informed and principle-driven behavioral interventions to promote social connection in ADRD caregivers that can be flexibly applied to meet a diverse set of needs while maximizing resources and reducing demands on caregivers.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; Behavior change; Interventions; Loneliness; Social isolation.