Mason Cares Plus: Care Partners Benefitting from Non-Pharmacological Interventions amid the Challenges of Caregiving

Background and Purpose: As of 2019, there were more than 16.1 million family caregivers of adults living with dementia in the U.S. (Alzheimer’s Association, n.d.). Prior studies have demonstrated that non-pharmacological interventions can effectively reduce family caregiver burden scores and improve caregiver well-being. Mason CARES Plus is a qualitative research study that examines family caregiver perspectives and experiences based on their participation in an earlier study, Mason CARES, conducted from July 2021 to June 2023. This prior study implemented two non-pharmacological interventions aimed at reducing stress and improving the well-being of family caregivers of people living with dementia: a 9-week Stress Busting Program (SBP) for Family Caregivers™, an evidence-based virtual health education program on caregiver stress and burden, and a 4-week randomized personalized music and memory intervention for care recipients living with dementia. Initial results from the Mason CARES quantitative study indicated a reduction in caregiver burden scores following SBP participation. The objective of the current study was to explore which elements of SBP were effective and to identify strategies to improve engagement with the personalized music program.

Methods: Of the original 97 participants in Mason CARES, 47 caregivers participated in focus groups or individual interviews to share their experiences with each intervention. Open and substantive coding were used to analyze transcripts of 12 focus groups utilizing Dedoose, a web application for mixed-methods research. Each transcript was independently reviewed by two researchers, resulting in an agreed-upon list of codes. The highest code counts emerged as five categories. Constant comparative analysis was then used to conceptualize these categories and establish an overall theme. These systematic approaches, along with memoing and peer debriefing, were utilized to enhance the rigor of the data collection and analysis processes.

Findings: The overall theme emerging from the data is care partners benefiting from non-pharmacological interventions amid the challenges of caregiving. The categories supporting this theme are connecting, appreciating, actualizing, adapting, and challenging. "Connecting" refers to participants finding a sense of community within the stress-busting group with other caregivers undergoing similar experiences. "Appreciating" represents the benefits received and the willingness to recommend the Mason CARES program to others. "Actualizing" involves participants utilizing what was learned from the program to improve their situation. "Adapting" represents managing and often adjusting routines and interventions. "Challenging" refers to the continued emotional and physical demands of caregiving.

Conclusions and Implications: Strategies to enhance program engagement and effectiveness can be informed by assessing caregivers’ experiences and perspectives in two ways: First, program effectiveness can be enhanced by focusing on fostering social connections and information sharing among family caregivers. Second, facilitators play a crucial role in creating a supportive environment where caregivers feel comfortable sharing their own experiences and coping strategies with other caregivers.