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Objectives: To test the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of CuidaTEXT: a tailored text message intervention to support Latino dementia family caregivers. Methods: CuidaTEXT is a six-month, bilingual, and bidirectional intervention tailored to caregiver needs (e.g., education, problem-solving, resources). We enrolled 24 Latino caregivers in a one-arm trial, and assessed feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy within six months. Results: Recruitment took 61 days and enrollment took 20. None of the participants unsubscribed from CuidaTEXT, and 83.3% completed the follow up survey. Most participants (85.7%) reported reading most text messages thoroughly. Participants reported high levels of satisfaction with the intervention (3.6 on a scale from 1 to 4). CuidaTEXT helpfulness was high (3.5-3.8 on a 1 to 4 scale). Compared to baseline, at six months caregiver behavioral symptom distress (0-60) decreased from 19.8 to 12.0, and depression (0-30) from 8.8 to 5.4 (p<0.05). Conclusions: CuidaTEXT demonstrated high levels of feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy among Latino caregivers. Clinical implications: CuidaTEXT's feasibility and potential for widespread implementation holds promise in supporting Latino caregivers of people with dementia.

Latinos experience disproportionately poor outcomes in dementia and COVID-19, which may synergistically impact their health. We explored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic among Latino families with dementia via a qualitative descriptive study of 21 informal caregivers of Latinos with dementia and 24 primary care providers. Two themes arose: The impact of a global pandemic (e.g., accelerated cognitive and physical decline, or caregivers choosing between risking finances and the family's infection given the work situation) and Developing resilience to the effects of the pandemic (e.g., caregivers seeking vaccination sites, moving in with the care recipient and adopting telehealth).

BACKGROUND Latinos experience disparities in the care of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) and have disproportionately high COVID-19 infection and death outcomes. OBJECTIVE We aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of the impact and resilience factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic among Latino families with ADRD. METHODS This is a qualitative study of 21 informal caregivers of Latinos with ADRD and 24 primary care providers who serve Latinos. We recruited participants nationwide using convenience and snowball sampling methods and conducted remote interviews in English and Spanish. We organized the transcripts for qualitative review to identify codes and themes, using a pragmatic approach, a qualitative description methodology, and thematic analysis methods. RESULTS Qualitative analysis of transcripts revealed two themes: The impact of a global pandemic (e.g., accelerated cognitive and physical decline, or caregivers choosing between risking finances and the family’s infection given the work situation) and Developing resilience to the effects of the pandemic (e.g., caregivers seeking vaccination sites, moving in with the care recipient and adopting telehealth). CONCLUSIONS Latino families with ADRD were impacted beyond infections and death. Both informal and formal supports were partly disrupted during the pandemic but were key for these families’ survival and quality of life. To buffer this impact in the future, there is a need for more equitable access to health care and social services, a better quality of these services, subsidized formal and informal supports, and flexible hybrid means of communication.