title: Gerontological Social Work Student-Delivered Respite: A Community-University Partnership Pilot Program.
abstract: This study describes a community-university partnership to support a gerontological social work student-delivered respite program, the Houseguest Program (Houseguest). Houseguest was designed using a community-engaged scholarship model of integrating research, teaching, and service. Houseguest was piloted with a small group of community-dwelling, coresiding dementia caregivers and care recipients. We examined caregivers' experiences with student-delivered respite using qualitative data analysis. Thematic analysis produced 8 themes: (a) respite from full time caregiving role, (b) information on caregiving strategies, (c) no-cost supportive services, (d) opportunity for care recipients to socialize, (e) tailored activities for care recipients, (f) rapport-building between students and family dyad, (g) reciprocity between students and family dyad, and (h) program continuation. We conclude with a proposed community-engaged scholarship model for dementia caregiving. Through a community-university partnership, Houseguest reduced the impact of caregiver burden and created an opportunity for students to serve families affected by dementia through respite and tailored activities.
authors.affiliation: a University of Georgia School of Social Work , Athens , Georgia , USA.
authors.forename: Tiffany R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Washington
authors.affiliation: a University of Georgia School of Social Work , Athens , Georgia , USA.|b University of Georgia College of Public Health , Athens , Georgia , USA.
authors.forename: Jacqueline A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Tachman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology / Q000600:supply & distribution; D003153:Community Health Services; D003704:Dementia / Q000150:complications / Q000451:nursing*; D005260:Female; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D055818:Public-Private Sector Partnerships / Q000639:trends; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012144:Respite Care / Q000379:methods; D012947:Social Work / Q000379:methods*; D013334:Students; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: Dementia caregiving; engaged scholarship; qualitative