# COVID-19, Social Distancing and Spouse/Partner Caregiving for those with Alzheimer's Disease

> **NIH NIH R21** · VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INST AND ST UNIV · 2020 · $214,433

## Abstract

Project Summary
This administrative supplement extends a qualitative study of same-sex and heterosexual older
adults who care for their spouses/partners with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. The
original research seeks to pinpoint how caregivers draw upon existing gender repertoires – sets
of skills and resources learned over the life course that affirm gender identities formed in
relation to the gender division of labor—in performing their care work. The resulting caregiving
approaches influence the particular areas of care work that these caregivers find problematic,
the ways they might respond to these challenges, and the extent to which such strategies help
caregivers effectively perform their work. This study asks how sexual orientation shapes gender
repertories, given that the division of labor among gay and lesbian couples must be negotiated,
and examines how this shapes caregiving approaches and experiences.
The emergence of COVID-19 and such containment measures as social distancing have
created a situation with which all AD caregivers must contend, regardless of gender or sexual
orientation; however, the ways in which they do so likely exhibit some differences. This
administrative supplement builds upon the parent study and seeks to explore the impact of
COVID-19 and social distancing across time and caregiving groups. The proposed
supplemental study will involve re-interviewing previous respondents from the parent study to
identify similarities and differences in terms of what caregivers find challenging, and the
strategies they use to deal with these difficulties. Understanding the ways that COVID-19 and
social distancing shape these caregiving experiences will provide much needed information on
caregiving performed by LG and heterosexual spouses/partners while also revealing how
gender and sexual orientation shape what caregivers perceive to be challenging, the strategies
they use to cope with these, and the resources they have available to them. Knowledge gained
from the study will have implications for both policy-makers and practitioners who seek to
develop effective interventions to support caregivers and prevent negative physical and mental
health outcomes.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10192917
- **Project number:** 3R21AG061365-02S1
- **Recipient organization:** VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INST AND ST UNIV
- **Principal Investigator:** Toni Calasanti
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $214,433
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2019-02-01 → 2022-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10192917

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10192917, COVID-19, Social Distancing and Spouse/Partner Caregiving for those with Alzheimer's Disease (3R21AG061365-02S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-01 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10192917. Licensed CC0.

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