# Improving Mental Health for Veterans with Dementia: Provider Training in Caregiver Engagement

> **NIH VA IK2** · WM S. MIDDLETON MEMORIAL VETERANS HOSP · 2021 · —

## Abstract

Background: This career development proposal is designed to prepare Mary Wyman, PhD for a VA career
conducting health services research focused on improving mental health care delivery and access for aging
Veterans. Dr. Wyman will accomplish this goal by completing training activities, obtaining expert mentorship, and
completing a series of research studies on family caregiver engagement in mental health services for Veterans
with dementia. Comorbid mental health conditions (e.g., depression and anxiety) are common in dementia and
are associated with worse outcomes if left untreated. To improve care quality and access, it is critical to effectively
involve family caregivers in mental health services; however, providers lack the confidence and skills to do so.
The primary objectives in this CDA application are 1) to use a qualitative research approach to identify facilitators
and barriers to caregiver engagement; 2) develop and test a provider training curriculum to increase skills in
engaging caregivers; and 3) use an existing dataset combining longitudinal survey data and VA health care
records to explore how caregiving associates to use of mental health services among Veterans with dementia.
Significance/Impact: This work has the potential to have significant and meaningful impact on the delivery of
mental health care to aging Veterans. Our methodology will support rapid dissemination and implementation of
the final, effectiveness-tested intervention, and our findings can inform development of future interventions to
address modifiable factors associated with mental health care access and outcomes. This work aligns strongly
with VHA and HSR&D priorities, including increased access to care, mental health and suicide prevention,
caregiver support, and employee engagement.
Innovation: While there are several effective interventions aimed at caregivers, we propose an innovative
approach to increasing caregiver involvement in mental health care by training providers in knowledge and skills
for effective caregiver engagement. As such, our proposal offers new directions for improving mental health care
quality and access for aging Veterans. The resultant systems intervention may be applicable across VHA care
settings and could positively impact employee engagement through increased provider self-efficacy.
Specific Aims: Objectives will be achieved through three specific aims: 1) Identify patient-, provider-, and
system-level factors that support or impede caregiver engagement in mental health care for aging Veterans with
dementia; 2) Develop and pilot-test a provider training curriculum and implementation strategy to improve mental
health provider engagement of caregivers of Veterans with dementia; 3) Examine associations of intensity of
informal caregiving received and cognitive status with MH care utilization by aging Veterans.
Methodology: Aim 1 involves semi-structured interviews with Veterans with dementia, their caregivers, and
mental health pro...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10200236
- **Project number:** 1IK2HX003080-01A2
- **Recipient organization:** WM S. MIDDLETON MEMORIAL VETERANS HOSP
- **Principal Investigator:** Mary Frances Wyman
- **Activity code:** IK2 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-07-01 → 2026-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10200236

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10200236, Improving Mental Health for Veterans with Dementia: Provider Training in Caregiver Engagement (1IK2HX003080-01A2). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10200236. Licensed CC0.

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