Enhancing Family Caregiver Well-Being: Evaluation of Person-Centered Navigation Services

Family caregivers experience higher levels of stress, isolation, and unmet needs, especially in rural areas. The Family Caregiver Navigator (FCN) program was implemented as a free, telephonic, person-centered intervention to address these challenges and support caregiver well-being. The program provides assessment, resource mapping, and follow-up support to caregivers in a US rural state. Since 2023, 901 people have contacted the program. Of those, 289 caregivers engaged in the FCN intervention. The average age of participants was 56, with most identifying as white (87%), married (67%), female (80%), and 56% providing care for three or more years. Paired t-test analysis assessed the impact of participation in FCN on outcomes of caregiver burden (Zarit-4©), severity of depression (PHQ-9©), identity discrepancy, and change in confidence in selected behaviors. A statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) in pre-to-post scores was observed on all outcome variables. Fifty-eight percent reported a “reduced intent” to place a care recipient in an institutional setting. Fifty-nine percent indicated they were extremely satisfied with the program, and 75% were extremely likely to recommend FCN to others. Findings from this pragmatic program evaluation study suggest that participation in FCN can improve caregiver well-being and support caregiving capacity in rural settings.