Affiliations: [a]
University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| [b]
Center for Healthy Aging and Innovation at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| [c]
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| [d]
University of Mississippi, University, MS, USA
| [e]
Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| [f]
Drexel University College of Nursing and Health Professions, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Correspondence:
[*]
Correspondence to: Quinton D. Cotton, PhD, MSSA, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, D330-8 Mayo Memorial Building MMC 729, 420 Delaware Street S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. Tel.:+1 612 301 2749; E-mail: cotto148@umn.edu.
Abstract: Background:Adult day services (ADS) are an important and often underutilized support resource for older adults. For persons living with dementia (PLWD), ADS is an optimal access point to not only receive therapeutic and rehabilitative activities, but as a vehicle for respite/relief for dementia caregivers. Yet, there is currently a lack of research on integrating caregiver interventions into home and community-based services such as ADS. Objective:This paper reports on qualitative findings from the Improving Outcomes for Family Caregivers of Older Adults with Complex Conditions: The Adult Day Plus (ADS Plus) Program Trial. Methods:Drawing from semi-structured interviews conducted with family caregivers and ADS site staff, we conducted a thematic analysis to examine the implementation process of ADS Plus. Results:Themes address the relational nature of the intervention, learning, influence of the administrative infrastructure, and receptivity of ADS Plus. Conclusions:Our analysis determined that implementation of ADS Plus was feasible and accepted by site staff and dementia caregivers but also calls for additional evaluation of embedded caregiver support interventions across different contexts (e.g., staff size, limited technology environments) to further identify and test implementation mechanisms across settings.
Keywords: Adult day services, Alzheimer’s disease, caregiver support, respite care
