Using Clustering Methods to Map the Experience Profiles of Dementia Caregivers.

Background And Objectives: Caregivers of persons living with dementia report wide-ranging lived experiences, including feelings of burden and frustration but also positivity about caregiving. This study applies clustering methodology to novel survey data to explore variation in caregiving experience profiles, which could then be used to design and target caregiver interventions aimed at improving caregiver well-being.

Research Design And Methods: The -means clustering algorithm partitioned a sample of 81 caregivers from the Midwest region of the United States on the basis of 8 variables capturing caregiver emotions, attitudes, knowledge, and network perceptions (: burden, anxiety, network malfeasance; network nonfeasance; : positive aspects of caregiving, preparedness and confidence in community-based care, knowledge about community services for older adults, and network uplift).

An app to support oral hygiene care: Increasing attitudes, knowledge, and confidence in identifying oral health problems among caregivers of persons living with dementia.

Purpose: To develop and pilot test an App to help family and paid caregivers perform high quality oral hygiene care.

Methods: A prototype of the App was refined based on stakeholder feedback (e.g.