# Balancing Caregiving and Self-Care: Exploring Mental Health Needs of Alzheimer's and Dementia Caregivers

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.14196 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2506.14196/

## Key facts

- Cited by 7 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 10 of its 168 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 17 Jun 2025.

## Builds on (most cited first, 10 of 10)

- [Artificial Intelligence, Values and Alignment](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2001.09768/) (2020)
- [Facilitating Self-Guided Mental Health Interventions Through Human-Language Model Interaction: A Case Study of Cognitive Restructuring](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2310.15461/) (2023)
- [Charting the Sociotechnical Gap in Explainable AI: A Framework to Address the Gap in XAI](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2302.00799/) (2023)
- [MindScape Study: Integrating LLM and Behavioral Sensing for Personalized AI-Driven Journaling Experiences](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2409.09570/) (2024)
- [Sensing Wellbeing in the Workplace, Why and For Whom? Envisioning Impacts with Organizational Stakeholders](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.06794/) (2023)
- [AI Chatbots for Mental Health: Values and Harms from Lived Experiences of Depression](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2504.18932/) (2025)
- [AI on My Shoulder: Supporting Emotional Labor in Front-Office Roles with an LLM-based Empathetic Coworker](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2411.02408/) (2024)
- [Patterns of Patient and Caregiver Mutual Support Connections in an Online Health Community](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2007.16172/) (2020)
- [Opportunities in Mental Health Support for Informal Dementia Caregivers Suffering from Verbal Agitation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2311.10912/) (2023)
- [Caring for Alzheimer's Disease Caregivers: A Qualitative Study Investigating Opportunities for Exergame Innovation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1908.09984/) (2019)

## Built on by (most cited first, 7 of 7)

- [Mapping Caregiver Needs to AI Chatbot Design: Strengths and Gaps in Mental Health Support for Alzheimer's and Dementia Caregivers](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2506.15047/) (2025)
- [RubRIX: Rubric-Driven Risk Mitigation in Caregiver-AI Interactions](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2601.13235/) (2026)
- [Inform, Coach, Relate, Listen: Auditing LLM Caregiving Support Roles](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2605.29473/) (2026)
- [A Taxonomy of Mental Health and Technology Needs for Alzheimer's and Dementia Caregivers](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2606.19247/) (2026)
- [InvisibleBench: A Deployment Gate for Caregiving Relationship AI](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2511.20733/) (2025)
- [When AI Says "I have been in similar situations": Synthetic Lived Experience in Peer-Like Caregiver Support](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2606.18057/) (2026)
- [CareMirror: Bringing Caregiver Wellbeing into the Dementia Care Ecosystem](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2609.17434/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (AD/ADRD) are progressive neurodegenerative conditions that impair memory, thought processes, and functioning. Family caregivers of individuals with AD/ADRD face significant mental health challenges due to long-term caregiving responsibilities. Yet, current support systems often overlook the evolving nature of their mental wellbeing needs. Our study examines caregivers' mental wellbeing concerns, focusing on the practices they adopt to manage the burden of caregiving and the technologies they use for support. Through semi-structured interviews with 25 family caregivers of individuals with AD/ADRD, we identified the key causes and effects of mental health challenges, and developed a temporal mapping of how caregivers' mental wellbeing evolves across three distinct stages of the caregiving journey. Additionally, our participants shared insights into improvements for existing mental health technologies, emphasizing the need for accessible, scalable, and personalized solutions that adapt to caregivers' changing needs over time. These findings offer a foundation for designing dynamic, stage-sensitive interventions that holistically support caregivers' mental wellbeing, benefiting both caregivers and care recipients.