Publications by authors named "Dadolf J"
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to evaluate the impact of the iHI-FIVES caregiver training program on the number of days Veterans spend away from home and the well-being of their family caregivers.
- Involvement included 898 Veterans from 8 medical centers, comparing data from before and after implementing the program through a randomized trial.
- Results indicated a 42% reduction in Veteran days not at home after joining iHI-FIVES, but no significant changes were found in caregiver well-being over the same period.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a team collaboration strategy called CONNECT in improving the implementation of a caregiver training program for veterans, known as iHI-FIVES.
- It involved a stepped wedge cluster randomized trial across eight VA medical centers, comparing the outcomes of sites using CONNECT plus technical support (REP) against those using REP alone.
- Findings showed high training fidelity (88%), but better reach (22% vs. 14%) and fidelity (95% vs. 80%) at non-CONNECT sites, indicating that CONNECT did not significantly enhance team functioning or program reach.
Article Synopsis
- Family caregivers, who assist loved ones with daily living activities, often face challenges like stress and isolation, heightened during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- A study analyzed survey data from 422 caregivers, examining their experiences of loneliness before and during the pandemic using logistic regression and qualitative content analysis.
- The results showed no significant difference in loneliness levels between the two periods, with caregivers reporting coping skills developed through caregiving that helped them manage pandemic-related challenges.
Background: Caregivers FIRST is an evidence-based program addressing gaps in caregivers' skills. In 2020, the Veterans Health Administration Caregiver Support Program (CSP) nationally endorsed Caregivers FIRST, offering credit in leadership performance plans to encourage all VA medical centers (VAMCs) to implement locally. This study examines the association of organizational readiness with VAMC adoption of Caregivers FIRST.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Clinical interventions often need to be adapted from their original design when they are applied to new settings. There is a growing literature describing frameworks and approaches to deploying and documenting adaptations of evidence-based practices in healthcare. Still, intervention modifications are often limited in detail and justification, which may prevent rigorous evaluation of interventions and intervention adaptation effectiveness in new contexts.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Most efforts to identify caregivers for research use passive approaches such as self-nomination. We describe an approach in which electronic health records (EHRs) can help identify, recruit, and increase diverse representations of family and other unpaid caregivers.
Objective: Few health systems have implemented systematic processes for identifying caregivers.
Background: Caring for a growing aging population using existing long-term care resources while simultaneously supporting and educating family caregivers, is a public health challenge. We describe the application of the Replicating Effective Programs (REP) framework, developed by the Centers for Disease Control Prevention and used in public health program implementation, to scale up an evidence-based family caregiver training intervention in the Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system.
Methods: From 2018 to 2020, clinicians at eight VA medical centers received REP-guided implementation including facilitation, technical assistance, and implementation tools to deliver the training program.
Article Synopsis
- The study explores variations in clinical eligibility assessments for a national caregiver program within the US Veterans Health Administration, aiming to improve standardization and consistency in caregiver experiences.
- A national survey and in-depth interviews with caregiver support coordinators revealed that while many use interdisciplinary teams for assessments, there are concerns about the effectiveness of current assessment tools in addressing actual clinical needs.
- The findings emphasize the importance of discretion in eligibility decision-making, highlighting that interdisciplinary teams can enhance therapeutic relationships and enable innovative approaches to better meet veterans' holistic needs.
Purpose: We describe an approach to rapidly adapt and implement an education and skills improvement intervention to address the needs of family caregivers of functionally impaired veterans-Helping Invested Families Improve Veterans' Experience Study (HI-FIVES).
Design: Prior to implementation in eight sites, a multidisciplinary study team made systematic adaptations to the curriculum content and delivery process using input from the original randomized controlled trial (RCT); a stakeholder advisory board comprised of national experts in caregiver education, nursing, and implementation; and a veteran/caregiver engagement panel. To address site-specific implementation barriers in diverse settings, we applied the Replicating Effective Programs implementation framework.