Caring for the Caregivers

For the more than 250,000 people caring for Alzheimer’s patients in Maryland, the daily toll is quietly devastating. The emotional drain of watching loved ones lose their memories; the financial strain of quitting or cutting back on paid work; the inability to eat properly, exercise or socialize with friends.

“Caregiver needs are complex. It’s a high-demand, 24/7 job,” said Dhruti Patel, University of Maryland Extension family and consumer sciences senior agent. “They do not have enough resources to take care of a human being who is cognitively challenged every day.”

That’s why she and fellow senior extension agent Alex Chan created the Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias Caregiver Program in 2023, which is being expanded this fall, thanks to a $30,000 grant from the university’s Do Good Campus Fund. The updated free six-hour virtual program launched this month. 

It will cover topics including strategies to support mental health; communication with patients as the disease progresses; senior health care options; diet to delay neurodegenerative effects; practices to improve food safety; and navigating finances, both individually and for the patient. 

“We know that there are many dimensions of wellness, so we don’t just focus on your physical well-being or your emotional well-being,” said Chan. “We cover the whole range.” 

As people live longer and the massive Baby Boomer generation ages—the oldest members are now nearly 80—the number of people at risk for Alzheimer’s and related dementias is increasing, he said. Friends and family are thrust into caregiving roles, making sacrifices like giving up their jobs or their homes to help. The Alzheimer’s Association of Maryland reports that more than 127,000 people in the state are living with the disease, and caregivers are providing more than 292 million hours of unpaid care valued at $7 billion each year. 

The UMD Extension’s caregiver support curriculum was first offered in 2023, funded by the Maryland Department of Health. Nearly 80 caregivers participated in the in-person classes in Frederick and on the Eastern Shore; most were partners and family members, though the program is also open to professionals. 

“One of the things we learned is the importance of social support. They would say, ‘Half the battle is just feeling alone. Even just being in the classroom and hearing from other people is helpful,’” said Chan. He’s reworked his section on mental health to focus more on social connection, rather than self-care. “It helps them feel less isolated and overwhelmed.” 

In addition, they’re adding a text-based intervention for three months after participants finish the program, sending weekly messages with reminders of what they learned in the course and nudging them to act. For example, a text about the value of community might encourage caregivers to reach out to a support group, while another might simply remind them to pause to eat a healthy lunch.  

To make the content more accessible, they’re introducing online, self-paced courses, and hope to expand in person to more rural communities in the spring, said Patel. 

“This project means a lot to me because I have had caregiver experience myself for a family member who had cancer,” said Patel. “It’s really rewarding to give back. We do this work because it really matters to our audience.”