Findings from Writing to Heal shared at GSA Annual Meeting

Dr. Angie LeRoy standing at the podium presenting Initial Development of the Writing to Heal App at the GSA conference

The HEAL Lab presented early findings from Writing to Heal — our mobile intervention for spousal caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias — at the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) Annual Meeting. The GSA is a leading professional organization in the field of aging, bringing together researchers, clinicians, and policymakers from across disciplines.

Being part of GSA’s scientific program is a significant honor — it means our work is being shared among the field’s top scholars and practitioners.

Our presentation highlighted two key areas:

  • Caregiver experiences: Common themes around both the barriers to participating in an expressive writing series and the perceived benefits of taking part.
  • App development: Insights from our iterative testing and design cycles, particularly regarding the app’s interface and the structure of writing prompts.

“Presenting at GSA was a meaningful milestone for the HEAL Lab. It offered us a chance to engage directly with leaders in aging research and to hear feedback that will help refine our next steps,” said Dr. Angie LeRoy.

The team looks forward to building on these findings in upcoming trials and future conferences.