Episode 104: Alexandra Drane on supporting caregivers as critical care partners

Listening In (With Permission): Conversations About Today's Pressing Health Care Topics

“80% of providers believe that the unpaid caregiver should have a seat at table, but only 20% believe they actually do.” Suzanne Delbanco speaks with Alexandra Drane, Co-Founder & CEO of ARCHANGELS, diving into the critical role of caregivers and why they must be part of the clinical care team. She also discusses how ARCHANGELS’ Caregiver Intensity Index (CII) is designed to engage caregivers and help them see themselves in the role. It also calculates the level of “intensity” when measuring the impact of caregiver duties on caregiver health – the higher the intensity, the more likely caregivers are experiencing an adverse mental health impact. CII looks at the influence of multiple compounding impacts on caregiver health (cohorts include age, race, unpaid, essential worker, etc.). Lastly, Alexandra explains the role that ARCHANGELS plays in helping caregivers understand and assess their intensity, and connects people to existing resources (e.g., EAP programs and community, state, and local resources, etc.) to support them.