ADAPTING INTERVENTIONS FOR EARLY-ONSET DEMENTIA - SUPPORTING FRONTOTEMPORAL DEGENERATION CAREGIVERS - SESSION 1015

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Asher

Caregiving for individuals with dementia is demanding and stressful, especially for caregivers of people with frontotemporal degeneration (FTD). FTD is a common cause of early-onset dementia without a known cure, and many patients remain in the community, relying on informal caregivers. Existing dementia interventions are often built for older adults with Alzheimer’s disease, not the distinct FTD caregiver needs. This symposium presents adapted approaches: STELLA-FTD for behavioral symptoms using the ABC model, PPA Tele-Savvy for communication support, ViCCY for motivational health coaching and caregiver self-care, and the FTD Clinical Research Learning Institute for caregiver engagement in FTD research.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Symposium Overview

STELLA-FTD and the ABC approach

PPA Tele-Savvy for communication support

ViCCY motivational coaching for self-care

FTD Clinical Research Learning Institute (FTD CRLI)

SESSION 1015 (SYMPOSIUM) Abstract citation ID: igaf122.015 ADAPTING INTERVENTIONS FOR EARLY-ONSET DEMENTIA: SUPPORTING FRONTOTEMPORAL DEGENERATION CAREGIVERS Chair: Lauren Massimo Discussant: Esther Kane Caregiving for a person with dementia is demanding and stressful, particularly for caregivers of persons with frontotemporal degeneration (FTD). FTD is a common cause of early-onset dementia with no known cure. Most patients with FTD remain in the community through the end of their lives, depending on informal caregivers to assist them, yet existing interventions are designed for older adults with Alzheimer’s disease. In this interdisciplinary symposium, we highlight approaches taken to adapt interventions to address the specific needs of FTD caregivers. The first session will describe Living and Learning with Advancing FTD (STELLA-FTD), an intervention that tests the efficacy of the ABC (Activator, Behavior, Consequences) approach to manage behavioral symptoms. The second session describes Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA) Tele-Savvy, designed to help caregivers address communication in persons with PPA. The third session will describe Virtual Caregiver Coach for You (ViCCY), a motivational health coaching intervention initially designed for caregivers of persons with heart failure. ViCCY utilizes a motivational coaching approach to help caregivers to build individualized resources, with the goal of improving caregiver self-care. The last session will describe the FTD Clinical Research Learning Institute (FTD CRLI), a caregiver engagement initiative that was adapted from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) . The FTD CRLI, developed in partnership with the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, empowers those with lived experience to be advocates in the field of FTD research by educating them on the clinical research process. Together these presentations highlight innovative efforts to tailor interventions for unique challenges faced by FTD caregivers.

FAQs

Why are existing dementia interventions often insufficient for FTD caregivers?

Most existing interventions are designed for older adults with Alzheimer’s disease, while FTD presents distinct challenges. As a result, caregiver needs specific to FTD may not be adequately addressed.

What is STELLA-FTD and what does it target?

STELLA-FTD is an intervention that tests the ABC approach (Activator, Behavior, Consequences) to manage behavioral symptoms in early-onset FTD.

How does ViCCY support caregivers of people with frontotemporal degeneration?

ViCCY is a motivational health coaching intervention that helps caregivers build individualized resources and improve self-care.

What is the purpose of the FTD Clinical Research Learning Institute (FTD CRLI)?

FTD CRLI is a caregiver engagement initiative adapted for FTD from ALS and partners with the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration to educate people on the clinical research process, enabling them to advocate in FTD research.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Asher