The Senior Companion Program Plus (SCP Plus): Examining the Preliminary Effectiveness of a Lay Provider Program to Support African American Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) Caregivers

Ling Xu; Noelle L. Fields; Ishan C. Williams; Joseph E. Gaugler; Alan Kunz-Lomelin; Daisha J. Cipher; Gretchen Feinhals

doi:10.3390/ijerph20075380

The Senior Companion Program Plus (SCP Plus): Examining the Preliminary Effectiveness of a Lay Provider Program to Support African American Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) Caregivers

Ling Xu, Noelle L. Fields, Ishan C. Williams, Joseph E. Gaugler, Alan Kunz-Lomelin, Daisha J. Cipher, Gretchen Feinhals

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objectives: A culturally informed, peer-led, lay provider model, the Senior Companion Program (SCP) Plus, was implemented to decrease caregiving burden/stress and improve coping skills and social support for African American ADRD caregivers. This study reported the preliminary effectiveness of this intervention. Methods: An explanatory sequential mixed methods design was used in this study, and a randomized control trial was conducted for the SCP Plus intervention among participants in three sites (n = 20). A subsample of participants (n = 7) consented to a qualitative interview about their experiences with the intervention. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, Friedman tests, and one-way repeated measures ANOVA were computed for quantitative analyses. Thematic analysis was used for the qualitative interviews. Results: Results demonstrated that knowledge of AD/dementia (KAD) and preparedness for caregiving were significantly improved for all senior companions in the intervention group. Results also showed that caregivers in the intervention group reported significantly decreased caregiving burden, as well as increased KAD, satisfaction with social support, and positive aspects of caregiving. Themes from the qualitative interviews included: learning new skills about caregiving, gaining knowledge about ADRD, and benefits for the dyad. Discussions: Findings from this study implied that SCP Plus was a promising model for African American family caregivers as it benefits both the SC volunteers and the African American ADRD family caregivers.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	5380
Journal	International journal of environmental research and public health
Volume	20
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20075380
State	Published - Apr 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This research received funding from National Institute on Health (NIH R15, 1R15 AG058182-01).

Funding Information:
Peer-based interventions can reduce caregiver isolation and provide a space for caregivers to exchange dementia-related knowledge []. There is a need to better understand the effectiveness of volunteer-led programs, specifically the impact they can have on African American informal caregivers. One well-established peer-based volunteer program is the Senior Companion Program (SCP) (now known as the AmeriCorps Seniors Senior Companion Program). The SCP is funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) (now operating as AmeriCorps since 2020) and is one of three National Senior Service Corps programs (now called AmeriCorps Seniors programs) in the United States. The SCP assigns adults aged 55 and older who are lower income to serve in the homes of frail older adults as volunteer companions []. Senior companions’ tasks include providing respite to family caregivers, assisting with grooming, eating, exercise, and offering peer support []. As volunteers, senior companions were offered a non-taxable stipend of USD 2.65 per hour at the time of our study (will change to USD 4.00/hour on 1 April 2023) (AmeriCorps, n.d.) [].

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 by the authors.

Keywords

ADRD
caregiving
culturally congruent
intervention
lay provider

PubMed: MeSH publication types

Journal Article
Multicenter Study
Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Publisher link

10.3390/ijerph20075380

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Xu, L., Fields, N. L., Williams, I. C., Gaugler, J. E., Kunz-Lomelin, A., Cipher, D. J., & Feinhals, G. (2023). The Senior Companion Program Plus (SCP Plus): Examining the Preliminary Effectiveness of a Lay Provider Program to Support African American Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) Caregivers. International journal of environmental research and public health, 20(7), Article 5380. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20075380

The Senior Companion Program Plus (SCP Plus): Examining the Preliminary Effectiveness of a Lay Provider Program to Support African American Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) Caregivers. / Xu, Ling; Fields, Noelle L.; Williams, Ishan C. et al.
In: International journal of environmental research and public health, Vol. 20, No. 7, 5380, 04.2023.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Xu, L, Fields, NL, Williams, IC, Gaugler, JE, Kunz-Lomelin, A, Cipher, DJ & Feinhals, G 2023, 'The Senior Companion Program Plus (SCP Plus): Examining the Preliminary Effectiveness of a Lay Provider Program to Support African American Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) Caregivers', International journal of environmental research and public health, vol. 20, no. 7, 5380. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20075380

Xu L, Fields NL, Williams IC, Gaugler JE, Kunz-Lomelin A, Cipher DJ et al. The Senior Companion Program Plus (SCP Plus): Examining the Preliminary Effectiveness of a Lay Provider Program to Support African American Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) Caregivers. International journal of environmental research and public health. 2023 Apr;20(7):5380. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20075380

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abstract = "Objectives: A culturally informed, peer-led, lay provider model, the Senior Companion Program (SCP) Plus, was implemented to decrease caregiving burden/stress and improve coping skills and social support for African American ADRD caregivers. This study reported the preliminary effectiveness of this intervention. Methods: An explanatory sequential mixed methods design was used in this study, and a randomized control trial was conducted for the SCP Plus intervention among participants in three sites (n = 20). A subsample of participants (n = 7) consented to a qualitative interview about their experiences with the intervention. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, Friedman tests, and one-way repeated measures ANOVA were computed for quantitative analyses. Thematic analysis was used for the qualitative interviews. Results: Results demonstrated that knowledge of AD/dementia (KAD) and preparedness for caregiving were significantly improved for all senior companions in the intervention group. Results also showed that caregivers in the intervention group reported significantly decreased caregiving burden, as well as increased KAD, satisfaction with social support, and positive aspects of caregiving. Themes from the qualitative interviews included: learning new skills about caregiving, gaining knowledge about ADRD, and benefits for the dyad. Discussions: Findings from this study implied that SCP Plus was a promising model for African American family caregivers as it benefits both the SC volunteers and the African American ADRD family caregivers.",

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author = "Ling Xu and Fields, {Noelle L.} and Williams, {Ishan C.} and Gaugler, {Joseph E.} and Alan Kunz-Lomelin and Cipher, {Daisha J.} and Gretchen Feinhals",

note = "Funding Information: This research received funding from National Institute on Health (NIH R15, 1R15 AG058182-01). Funding Information: Peer-based interventions can reduce caregiver isolation and provide a space for caregivers to exchange dementia-related knowledge []. There is a need to better understand the effectiveness of volunteer-led programs, specifically the impact they can have on African American informal caregivers. One well-established peer-based volunteer program is the Senior Companion Program (SCP) (now known as the AmeriCorps Seniors Senior Companion Program). The SCP is funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) (now operating as AmeriCorps since 2020) and is one of three National Senior Service Corps programs (now called AmeriCorps Seniors programs) in the United States. The SCP assigns adults aged 55 and older who are lower income to serve in the homes of frail older adults as volunteer companions []. Senior companions{\textquoteright} tasks include providing respite to family caregivers, assisting with grooming, eating, exercise, and offering peer support []. As volunteers, senior companions were offered a non-taxable stipend of USD 2.65 per hour at the time of our study (will change to USD 4.00/hour on 1 April 2023) (AmeriCorps, n.d.) []. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 by the authors.",

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The Senior Companion Program Plus (SCP Plus): Examining the Preliminary Effectiveness of a Lay Provider Program to Support African American Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) Caregivers

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

PubMed: MeSH publication types

Publisher link

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