FACES-AD: Families in Appalachia Caring for Elders with Alzheimer’s Disease

The FACES-AD project, a collaborative endeavor from Virginia Tech’s Center for Gerontology, Carilion Clinic, and Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, is designed to explore the daily experiences of families navigating the complexities of dementia caregiving.

Our goal is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the caregiver's journey, from the types of assistance they provide to their loved ones, to the support they receive from others. We're particularly interested in gauging the efficacy of paid services and identifying any challenges faced when arranging external help.

To gather this valuable insight, we begin our process with an initial telephone interview. Following this, we conduct brief daily interviews over a span of seven consecutive days. During these daily check-ins, we discuss the activities performed by the caregivers throughout their day and the support they received in caring for their family member with dementia. Each call is expected to last around 15–20 minutes and takes place during the evening hours to accommodate the caregivers' schedules.

By shedding light on the day-to-day reality of family caregivers, the FACES-AD project aims to contribute valuable knowledge to the field of gerontology and enhance support systems for those at the heart of dementia care.

The FACES-AD project is funded by the National Institute of Health

Investigators:

Karen A. Roberto, PhD: University Distinguished Professor and Director of the Institute for Society, Culture and Environment (ISCE).

Tina Savla, PhD: Associate Professor in the Department of Human Development

Aubrey Knight, MD: Medical Director, Impatient Palliative Care, Carilion Clinic Center for Healthy Aging

Rosemary Blieszner, PhD: Senior Fellow at the Center for Gerontology