Research Symposium

BIO

Hailing from Rochester, NY, Jayson Bakshi is a dedicated individual with an aspiration to make a profound difference in the world. Aspiring to become a pediatric physician, Jayson is driven by a compassionate mission to provide medical care to underprivileged children in urban areas across the United States and around the globe. With a solid foundation in the medical field, he has spent the past two years working as a pediatric medical assistant, gaining invaluable experience and insights into pediatric care. His commitment to his future profession is further demonstrated through his volunteer work in hospitals, where he has contributed significantly to the well-being of a diverse array of patients.

Jayson plans to attend medical school beginning in the Fall of 2025. Beyond his professional pursuits, Jayson is an avid sports enthusiast with a particular fondness for the Lakers. He enjoys staying active by playing football and basketball and also listening to diverse arrays of music.

Preliminary Evaluation of the African American Alzheimer's Caregiver Training and Support Project 2 (ACTS2) Facebook Live Workshop Series: A Mixed Methods Analysis

Abstract

The African-American Alzheimer’s Caregiver Training and Support Project 2 (ACTS2) is a faith-integrated, skills-training and support program for Black family caregivers of persons living with dementia in Florida. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, ACTS2 initiated a bi-monthly Facebook Live Workshop series, offering practical information and resources for Black communities on dementia caregiving topics. Using mixed assessment methods, we evaluated viewer reach, engagement, and satisfaction with the workshop series. We used quantitative (e.g., online pre-registrations) and qualitative data (e.g., online evaluation surveys) to evaluate viewer reach, engagement, and satisfaction with 22 ACTS2 workshops, delivered from May 2020 to August 2023. The series reached a total of 1,193 individuals who pre-registered and at least 1,032 individuals who attended virtual workshops in live time. To date, the series reached at least 9,697 Facebook and 274 YouTube user views. Thematic analysis of attendee engagement revealed three themes: (1) requesting additional information and community resources; (2) attendees disclosing caregiving experiences; and (3) gratitude towards workshop presentations. From the pool of pre-registrants, 98 completed evaluation surveys. Most survey completers reported workshops were “extremely informative” or “very informative” (92.9%) and rated overall quality of workshops as “excellent” or “good” (90.8%). Three themes emerged from survey data: (1) gratitude for workshop presenters’ testimonies; (2) satisfaction with ACTS2 community resources; and (3) centering Black dementia caregiver experiences. Initial findings suggested that the ACTS2 Facebook Live Workshop series was successful in engaging community members across Florida while serving as a useful tool in providing information for Black dementia caregivers.

Keywords: dementia, Alzheimers, caregiver, African-American