EXAMINING THE CHARACTERISTICS OF UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS PROVIDING CARE TO ADULTS WITH ADRD

Abstract University employee and student caregivers face challenges balancing caregiving with employment and educational responsibilities. With over 4,000 degree-granting institutions in the United States, this represents a growing need for intervention. Data were collected via a Qualtrics survey from university employees and students (n=350) who provided unpaid care to a relative or friend 18 years or older. Participants completed assessments including the Zarit Burden Index, Center for Epidemiologic Studies 4-item Depression Scale, Generalized Anxiety Disorder 2-item scale, and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale. Chi-square and independent t-tests were employed to compare personal, socio-emotional, and caregiving characteristics between caregivers to people with Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias (ADRD) and non-ADRD caregivers. Compared to non-ADRD caregivers, the care recipients of ADRD caregivers were older and had more health conditions. ADRD caregivers also had been caregivers for fewer years than non-ADRD caregivers. Although ADRD caregivers were more likely to provide personal care, they also had more caregiving support (e.g., unpaid and paid) than non-ADRD caregivers. Compared to non-ADRD caregivers, ADRD caregivers reported significantly higher caregiver burden (t=-2.39, P=0.02). ADRD caregivers reported a greater need for caregiving resources and were more likely to disclose their caregiving status to university personnel compared to non-ADRD caregivers. Findings highlight the need for university-based resources to support the unique challenges of employee and student ADRD and non-ADRD caregivers. Opportunities exist to introduce programs and services (e.g., respite care, flexible scheduling, problem-solving interventions) to help employees and students succeed in their work/studies, manage caregiver burden, and provide high-quality care to care recipients.