Atlanta, GA - May 20, 2025 - Qwoted Newswire - June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, and Emory Integrated Memory Care (IMC) and The Caregiver’s Journey are creating a groundbreaking, three-part podcast series to heighten support for dementia family caregivers. The limited series will highlight innovative research studies seeking to transform how caregivers and care receivers navigate the challenges they face in their journey with dementia.

While most people associate dementia research with pharmaceutical trials or studies focused solely on individuals living with dementia, this initiative will spotlight critical research conducted to support the nearly 12 million Americans who provide unpaid care for loved ones with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

“Family caregivers are the unsung heroes of dementia care, often sacrificing their own health and well-being while navigating complex health care systems,” said Dr. Carolyn Clevenger, professor of nursing and founder of IMC. “Our research focuses on developing effective interventions that enhance caregivers’ mastery of their role while preserving their own health.”

In June, The Caregiver’s Journey podcast will feature interviews with Emory University Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing researchers working with IMC on innovative approaches to dementia caregiving support. Launched in August 2024 and hosted by Sue Ryan, ACC™, and Nancy Treaster, CCC™, their award-winning podcast has quickly gained an audience of more than 14,000 subscribers and 30,000 unique downloads each month. It is complemented by a blog, guides and worksheets — resources that empower dementia caregivers to more easily tackle day-to-day challenges with confidence, patience and peace of mind. June topics will include:

• Education programs (to publish June 3, 2025): Dr. Clevenger, a nationally recognized educational leader in advanced practice nursing, geriatrics and gerontology, shares her groundbreaking work on dementia family caregiver education programs that teach new caregivers how to transition into the role and navigate various support systems. For more information about joining this study, visit scholarblogs.emory.edu/can-do/.
• Navigating illness and other issues (June 10, 2025): Dr. Emily Mroz, assistant professor and social-behavioral scientist, discusses her research on improving how patients and caregivers navigate serious illnesses such as dementia, end-of-life care and bereavement. To join this study, visit survey.qualtrics.emory.edu/jfe/form/SV_cYfshxWcThSSV5s.
• Improving sleep outcomes (June 17, 2025): Dr. Glenna Brewster, assistant professor, shares her innovative study designed to improve the sleep outcomes of persons living with preclinical and early-stage dementia and their caregivers. Brewster is also founder of the Mind at Rest research lab. For more information about joining this study, visit mindatrest.org/contact/.

“We are honored to highlight these important caregiver-centered research initiatives and to help connect caregivers with evidence-based resources,” said Treaster. “Most caregivers learn by trial and error, which adds unnecessary stress to an already challenging situation. As caregivers ourselves, Sue and I understand that having access to relevant information about the emotional and practical aspects of the role, and engaging in difficult conversations, can significantly impact a caregiver’s quality of life.”

The podcast series will launch on June 3 and be available on all major podcast platforms and as a video podcast on The Caregiver’s Journey website.