Interventions for Informal Caregivers of Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Scoping Review and Future Research Agenda

Objective: This scoping review explores the past decade of research on interventions supporting informal caregivers of community-dwelling older adults. Method: A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and PsycINFO. A total of 3408 studies were screened, of which 49 met the criteria for inclusion in this review. Results: The majority of interventions targeted dementia caregivers, were individually delivered, and professionally guided. Psychoeducational and psychological support dominated, followed by practical support such as respite care or case management, and remote caregiving support. Most studies tested effectiveness/efficacy and predominantly included women. Interventions tailored to non-dementia caregivers and working caregivers, as well as studies addressing implementation strategies and cost-effectiveness, were largely underrepresented. Conclusion: To move forward, future studies on interventions for informal caregivers of community-dwelling older adults should address diverse caregiving contexts, increase male participation, explore low-resource interventions, and identify strategies for sustainable, cost-effective implementation.