Honors Program Theses

Award/Availability

Open Access Honors Program Thesis

First Advisor

Melinda Heinz

Abstract

This research paper explores the experiences of informal caregivers of people living with dementia. Focusing on topics such as mental health, caregiver education, and access to supportive resources within dementia related programs. The current literature highlights significant gaps in caregiver education and access to resources for spousal and older adult informal caregivers. A qualitative study was conducted by surveying informal caregivers from the Cedar Valley, Iowa area. Analysis of the survey results included use of Braun and Clarke’s (2020) six-step thematic analysis approach. Results found from four participants caused four major themes to emerge. The informal caregivers identified friends and other informal caregivers as their primary sources of support, while unanimously reporting a strong need for improved mental health resources. They also primarily used online sources for education information about informal caregiving. Additionally, all participants indicated that a decline in either their own health or the care recipient’s health would influence the decision to transition to long-term care. This study focused on a small sample size, but identified patterns that show there are significant gaps in current literature about the experiences and needs of informal caregivers of individuals living with dementia. Future research should focus on exploring diverse populations to better understand and find the needs of informal caregivers in the U.S.

Year of Submission

2026

Department

Department of Educational Administration and Counseling

University Honors Designation

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the designation University Honors

Date Original

2026

Object Description

1 PDF file (24 pages)

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

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