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DSW Showcase Student Presentation

Kaleigh Gardiner

MSW, LSW

Illuminating the Path: A Caregiver-Centered Approach to Supporting Loved Ones with Dementia at End of Life

Concentration -

  • Tuesday, April 29, 2025 -
  • 9:00 am
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Abstract

During the end of life, caregivers who provide support to their loved ones with dementia face a series of challenges, including physical, emotional, and social tolls. This presentation will assist in identifying key barriers that hinder caregivers from providing adequate care. The focus is on assisting social workers in strengthening families and improving communication to improve caregiver and patient outcomes. This session integrates Kübler-Ross’s Five Stages of Grief with Bowen Family Systems Theory to better understand caregivers’ emotional and relational challenges. Specifically, it explores Bowen’s concepts of triangles, differentiation of self, and the family projection process. This presentation discusses how these frameworks intersect with the grieving process to inform caregiver support strategies and ways to process their loved one’s end-of-life journey. This presentation also highlights the importance of connecting theory to practical application, utilizing evidence-based approaches. These approaches are personalized to caregivers’ unique and individual experiences. Participants will gain insights into fostering healthier family systems and communication pathways and equipping caregivers with the tools to navigate the complexities of end-of-life care. Social workers will leave with practical strategies to support caregivers while improving overall patient care during the final stages of dementia.

Biography

Kaleigh Gardiner is an empathetic and compassionate social worker who has been in the field for almost 6 years. Kaleigh has worked with a variety of populations stemming from clients ages 4-105, working in outpatient settings, referrals from local child protective agencies, inpatient psychiatric hospitals from mood disorders to psychosis, working in a day treatment program for adolescents with problem sexual behaviors, inpatient substance abuse rehab and as a hospice social worker where she has made a meaningful impact on all the clients she has worked with.
Kaleigh is a licensed Social Worker in the state of Ohio who is trained in Crisis Intervention and prevention as well as Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Kaleigh works as a hospice social worker for Bella Care Hospice in central Ohio. Kaleigh is known for her skills as a hospice social worker, demonstrating empathy, resilience, and a deep commitment to supporting patients and families through life's most sorrowful moments.
Kaleigh received her Bachelor in Art in Sociology and Social Work from Ohio Dominican University, where she graduated Magna cum laude. Kaleigh then attended The Ohio State University for her Master of Social Work in their Advanced Standing Program. Kaleigh is now a Doctoral candidate at the University of Kentucky, College of Social Work.
Kaleigh has focused her research on how to support caregivers while they navigate through their loved ones with dementia end-of-life journey. Kaleigh continues to empower families, advocate for patients and caregivers, and foster empathy.