Home-Based Pilot Intervention to Improve Quality of Life and Related Outcomes among Unpaid Caregivers and Their Care-Recipients with Visual Impairments

Abstract

The increasing lifespan of the United States population has led to a rise in the prevalence of age-related chronic diseases, increasing the need for unpaid caregivers. Currently, little research is known about this specific population beyond the limited formal training unpaid caregivers receive on the caregiving process. Acquiring visual impairments (VI) later in life places a large emotional toll on both the loved one and their caregivers. The objectives of this pilot study were: (1) to implement a multimodal intervention targeted towards improving the quality of life of unpaid caregivers and their care recipients with visual impairments; (2) to evaluate the efficacy of the multimodal intervention in improving the quality of life of unpaid caregivers and their care recipients with visual impairments. A 10-week virtual intervention (e.g., tai chi, yoga, music) was implemented with 12 caregivers and 8 older adults with VI. The targeted outcomes of interest included: QoL, health, stress, burden, problem-solving, and barriers. In addition to surveys to inform the choice of the intervention, focus group interviews were conducted to obtain participants’ perspectives on the effectiveness of the intervention. Results revealed many positive outcomes in the quality of life and well-being of the participants following the 10-week intervention. Overall, these results represent a promising program for unpaid caregivers of older adults with VI.