Peer Caregiver Navigation for Alzheimer’s: Support by a paraprofessional peer coach
Official title: Peer Caregiver Navigation for Family Caregivers of Patients Living with Alzheimer's Disease: A Paraprofessional Peer Coaching Intervention.
Funded at Washington University · NIH-11301687 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A caregiver-support program led by trained paraprofessionals helps family caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease manage stress, learn coping skills, and access peer support.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $746,009 |
| NIH project number | 1R01AG099125-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11301687 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adult caregivers (21+) of someone living with Alzheimer’s disease or Alzheimer’s dementia.
✕Less likely to help
Caregivers not seeking or unable to participate in a structured coaching program may see limited benefit.
What this research studies
This project tests a one-on-one, paraprofessional peer-delivered support program for family caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease. The approach combines coping skills training, psychoeducation, and peer support to reduce caregiver anxiety, depression, and stress. It builds on prior feasibility work and will expand to a large randomized trial with 466 caregivers to see if the program improves caregiver well-being and self-efficacy, while exploring how changes in coping contribute to benefits. The study uses a mixed-methods design to understand what parts of the program work best and why.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, caregivers may experience less anxiety and stress and feel more capable in managing caregiving tasks.
How similar studies have gone: Prior smaller studies suggested improvements in caregiver anxiety, depression, and coping, supporting the potential for meaningful effects in a larger trial.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Benson, Jacquelyn J — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Benson, Jacquelyn J
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
A storytelling program for family caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias
This study is testing a special storytelling program called Caregiver Speaks, which helps family caregivers of people with Alzheimer's and other dementias share their feelings and experiences through photos, with the goal of making them feel less anxious and depressed while providing support from others in a friendly o
-
Negotiation training to help Alzheimer’s caregivers communicate with care teams
A program called NegotiAge helps families caring for people with Alzheimer’s disease learn better negotiation skills to talk with doctors, insurers, and other caregivers.
-
Social media support for Alzheimer's caregivers powered by AI chat help
A caregiver-focused program for families of people with Alzheimer's and related dementias uses an AI-enhanced social media approach to provide daily supportive messages and online discussions.
-
Understanding and supporting informal care partners of people with Alzheimer’s and related dementias
A new project aims to create smarter, easier ways to measure and understand the experiences of people who care for loved ones with Alzheimer’s and related dementias.
-
Token-Based Community Network to Support Family Caregivers of Adults with Alzheimer's and Related Dementias
A new app-based program called Help-Full aims to help family and friend caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s and related dementias feel more supported and connected while managing caregiving tasks.
-
Smartphone-based emotional regulation for caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease
A brief smartphone-based program helps unpaid family caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s or related dementias manage emotions and reduce stress.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.