A Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Telephone Support Intervention for Diverse Family Caregivers of Persons With Dementia During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Jung-Ah Lee, Hyun Jung Kim, Eunae Ju and 7 others
PMID 35786087WHAT IT FOUND
Family caregivers of people with dementia in early lockdown said weekly bilingual phone calls let them talk about fear, receive trusted safety advice, and practice breathing and communication.
Their reports describe support, not tested effects.
Key findings
01Family caregivers of people with dementia described three emotional challenges during the early pandemic: fear of coronavirus, around-the-clock care without outside support, and forced isolation that increased negative emotions.
02Their feedback about the telephone support included appreciating connection with the outside world, relief from emotional stress, helpful pandemic information, and reinforced caregiving skills.
03The positive feedback was linked to calls from bilingual research assistants who spoke the caregiver's own language.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study used only qualitative reports from 23 caregivers, not outcome measures. Many sessions were not audio-recorded, so the findings depend on research assistants' written notes. The sample included only non-Hispanic White, Latinx, Vietnamese, and Korean caregivers in one California county, so it may not apply to other groups. The findings cannot be generalized to caregivers who have difficulty using a telephone, such as hearing or vision challenges.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. The publication types list U.S. government and NIH extramural research support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as proof that telephone support reduces caregiver stress or depression. The study had 23 caregivers and only qualitative reports, not outcome measures, and the calls combined emotional support, safety information, and skill reinforcement, so no single component can be credited.