Aging in Place Partnerships: A Training Program for Family Caregivers of Residents Living in Affordable Senior Housing

Alisha Sanders
Robyn Stone
Rhoda Meador
Victoria Parker

As with the articles in this issue, this introduction reflects the views of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

This article describes the development and testing of a program to expand the capacity of family caregivers of residents in affordable senior housing properties and enhance the partnerships between family caregivers and the housing properties to help residents meet their needs and "age in place." A needs assessment revealed that, although family caregivers are providing a great deal of assistance to residents in affordable senior housing properties, they can benefit from expanding their caregiving knowledge and skills. It also revealed that the interaction between family caregivers and housing properties is often minimal. Incorporating input from service coordinators, family caregivers, and residents, a two-part workshop was created and piloted in three affordable senior housing properties. The first part focused on helping the family caregiver understand and build empathy for the challenging tasks that residents and caregivers face; the second focused more specifically on how family caregivers can strengthen their skills and knowledge and partner with housing properties to support aging in place. Participants in the pilot workshops reported being very satisfied with the workshops and more prepared to fulfill their caregiving role. The program team will use the results from the training program to refine the program and explore the potential for dissemination through a "train-the-trainer" approach.