In 2021, Dr. Francesca Falzarano founded the ENRICH Lab to establish a program of scientific research that centers on advocacy and is directly informed by the voices of dementia family caregivers. Our goal is to conduct research that informs the design, evaluation, and dissemination of evidence-based research to reduce stress, address unmet needs, and enhance access to supportive services tailored for diverse dementia family caregivers. Motivated by her own experiences in caring for, and losing her parents, the lab has swiftly advanced in pioneering research focused on understanding the diverse experiences of families impacted by dementia. In 2024, the Falzarano Family Caregiving Lab (FFCL) was launched to commemorate our journey from a passionate group of students to a robust research program studying various aspects of the experiences and psychosocial outcomes associated with family caregiving. The FFCL symbolizes both our growth in the field of dementia caregiving research and the resilience that many of us have personally faced as family caregivers. Here at FFCL, we engage in diverse projects that utilize technology to enhance the well-being and quality of life of dementia caregivers and their care recipients. The FFCL is dedicated to working to bridge the gap between research and the real world, ensuring continuity and adequate support for dementia family caregivers across the research-practice-community pipeline.
Falzarano Family Caregiving Lab
Research for caregivers, by caregivers.
Projects
CarePair
Recruiting soon!
CarePair, funded by the National Institute on Aging, aims to create a behavioral intervention through a self-assessment and referral platform for dementia family caregivers. In this study phase, we will pilot-test the CarePair app, designed to connect dementia family caregivers to tailored services and supports. We aim to evaluate the app's feasibility and acceptability and explore its potential to improve caregiver well-being. During your six-week participation, you’ll use study-provided caregiving resources for 6 weeks, complete two in-depth surveys at the start and end of the study, and take two brief surveys during weeks 2 and 4. You’ll receive $50 for completing all study activities. Your involvement will help us assess CarePair’s effectiveness in real-world settings and guide future improvements.
Living Memory Home for Dementia Care Pairs (LMH-4-DCP)
Currently recruiting
The goal of LMH-4-DCP, funded by the National Institute on Aging, is to create a pre-loss, reminiscence-based web intervention for family caregivers and the persons they care for with early to moderate stages of dementia. The aim of our study is to explore the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of LMH-4-DCP on outcomes including pre-loss grief and care pair relationship quality. As a research participant, you will be asked to engage with the LMH-4-DCP platform three times per week over a two-week period. Assessments of outcomes will be conducted through surveys at baseline and at the two-week follow-up to measure the LMH-4-DCP's impact, with an optional follow-up interview after the two-week intervention is complete.
Read about it!
Click the button below to find a list of citations to published work that have come from our lab members.