arXiv:2606.19247v1 Announce Type: cross Abstract: Family members caring for individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (AD/ADRD) provide the foundation of long-term care worldwide. In 2023, more than 11 million U.S. family and friends contributed 18 billion hours of unpaid care, often at the cost of their own physical and mental health. These informal caregivers -- also referred as the "invisible second patients" -- experience elevated rates of mental health problems. Yet research commonly reduces their complex psychosocial experiences to a single construct of caregiver burden,
The increasing prevalence of Alzheimer's and related dementias, coupled with the growing availability of AI and technological solutions, is highlighting the long-standing critical support gap for caregivers.
This research provides a structured understanding of caregiver needs, which is crucial for developing targeted and effective technological interventions that can alleviate significant societal and personal burdens.
The focus is shifting towards recognizing and addressing the mental health burden on caregivers as a distinct problem, moving beyond the singular 'caregiver burden' construct.
- · Caregivers of AD/ADRD patients
- · Mental health tech developers
- · Healthcare providers
- · AI/ML researchers in healthcare
- · Traditional, untargeted support programs
- · Healthcare systems ignoring caregiver mental health
Improved mental health outcomes for AD/ADRD caregivers through tailored technological interventions.
Reduced healthcare costs associated with caregiver burnout and illness, and potentially longer periods of in-home care for patients.
Enhanced societal recognition and support structures for informal caregiving, potentially inspiring policy changes and new economic models for care.
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Read at arXiv cs.AI