Project title: “Caregiving, Complex Family and Kinship Ties, and Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD)”
Over the past three weeks, I have learned more about focus groups and other related research methods than I thought possible. Though I was apprehensive about coming into this fellowship as someone without research experience, Dr. Patterson gives me ample space to be curious and ask questions, equips me with the tools to efficiently solve problems, and provides me the opportunity to include my ideas in the project. I feel confident and productive in my work!
Recently, I have been working on recruiting participants for our focus groups. As we are looking into how caregiving norms and family “kinship” ties influence the well-being and quality of life of older adults with dementia, Dr. Patterson has asked me to recruit diverse participants so that we can assess the interplay between family structures and caregiving across cultures. It has been difficult to navigate how ethnic minorities rely on informal support systems (i.e. aunts, uncles, neighbors, friends, religion) as opposed to formal support systems (i.e. healthcare services) when helping their family member with dementia. To ensure that we recruit individuals who represent different identities, I have found the contacts of religious and community organizations, programs for individuals without insurance, and specific dementia-related healthcare services (i.e. respite care, support groups, counseling and psychotherapy). In this realm of the project, I was also responsible for creating flyers. My main focus with this responsibility was figuring out which language/diction would best attract the participant group we are looking for.
In the process of collecting this data and working on these tasks, I have encountered many situations in which I have had to use my problem-solving skills. Additionally, working within the budget of the grant has challenged me to think practically and utilize on-campus resources. Most importantly, I feel as though I now understand how research really works – I can explain the “knitty-gritty” of grants, IRB-certification, and how to appropriately utilize qualitative research methods. Because of this knowledge, I am able to improve my analytical skills in the context of scientific research, learn from distinguished members in the research community, and prepare for foreseeable obstacles using available resources.
My work in this project feels incredibly purposeful. In my own family, I have seen firsthand how dementia can destroy a loved one’s sense-of-self and belonging, as well as have encountered obstacles that come with caring for a family member who has dementia. I hope to contribute meaningful insights to the way that caregiving differs between communities so that necessary change can be made to our social and healthcare systems. If I am able to improve just one person’s life through this experience, I would be fulfilled.