Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder caused by nerve damage that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, as well as the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. The burden of care often lies with family caregivers who are essential to healthcare providing care and support to over 6.5 million individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s dementia and related dementias, allowing them to thrive in familiar surroundings. For the family caregiver, the strain experienced can lead to stress and decreased quality of life, leading to a negative impact on health and well-being. The purpose of this study, using data from the 2017 National Health and Aging Trends Study/National Study of Caregiving (NHATS/NSOC) was to examine the association between the variables. The chi-square test was used to examine the associations between depression levels, age, gender, race, ethnicity, and the self-rated health of African American caregivers; between receiving respite help from family members to care for the subject person and self-rated health of the caregiver; and between participating in social activities with other people and the self-rated health of the caregiver. There were significant associations between depression levels, being female, being over 50 years old, participating in social activities, and the self-reported health of African American caregivers. African American caregivers are often overlooked in research, so this study was intended to generate provider and community support for caregivers and create solutions and resources to help to relieve their burden and health challenges
