UC San Diego

Older adults are at an increased risk of loneliness. Many also serve as informal caregivers for persons with dementia and other disabling conditions, further predisposing them to loneliness. The primary objective was to assess current loneliness interventions for caregivers to inform development of effective therapies to improve their quality of life. An integrative review of the literature was conducted using five electronic databases and 12 studies were included for further analysis. Data were extracted regarding the type of intervention implemented, caregiver characteristics, and intervention effects. Five main intervention types emerged: mindful meditation, computer applications, music therapy, peer support, and community programs. Most care recipients had dementia, and most caregivers were spouses. Peer support was the most frequently utilized intervention, and common intervention strategies included providing emotional support, expanding one's social network, and supplying psychoeducational materials. Most interventions had methodological limitations and demonstrated small effect sizes. Hence, there remains a continued need for well-designed interventions that target loneliness in informal caregiver. Caregivers may benefit from interventions that expand their social network to improve their emotional regulation and understanding of their role. Further research on the role of group versus individual therapy is necessary to strengthen interventions and broaden their application.