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The Effects of a Comprehensive Psychosocial Intervention on Secondary Stressors and Social Support for Adult Child Caregivers of Persons With Dementia.

ABSTRACT:

Background and objectives

Many evaluations of nonpharmacologic interventions for family members of persons with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias (ADRDs) exist, but few consider effects on outcomes that are pertinent to caregivers' roles and relationships. The current study evaluated the efficacy of the New York University Caregiver Intervention-Adult Child (NYUCI-AC) on perceptions of family conflict, role conflict (effects of family caregiving and time, family, and social life), and perceived social support for adult child caregivers of relatives with ADRD over a 3-year period.

Research design and methods

A single-blinded randomized controlled trial design was used. One-hundred and seven adult child caregivers were enrolled in the NYUCI-AC and randomly assigned to a treatment or contact control group. Assessments were scheduled to be completed every 4 months during the first year of participation and every 6 months thereafter for up to 3 years. Individual growth curve models were utilized to ascertain the effects of the NYUCI-AC on change in family conflict, role conflict, and perceptions of social support.

Results

Among the entire sample, role conflict significantly (p < .05) declined and satisfaction with instrumental assistance increased over the course of the study, whereas family conflict slightly increased over the initial study period and then declined slightly. The findings indicated that the NYUCI-AC did not exert statistically significant effects on changes in family conflict, role conflict, or perceptions of social support over the 3-year study period.

Discussion and implications

Although the clinical content of some dementia caregiver interventions is tailored to the specific needs of each caregiver and family, the outcomes selected to judge the efficacy of these interventions might not follow similar principles. Incorporating clinical content and evaluation outcomes that are family-centered will help to advance the state of the art of dementia caregiving interventions.

SUBMITTER: Gaugler JE

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6037049 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BackgroundThis paper describes both the use of and needs for informal caregivers of people with dementia, based on a questionnaire survey organized within the National Dementia Programme in the Netherlands. The National Dementia Programme is a quality collaborative of the Dutch Alzheimer's Association, the Institute of Quality of Healthcare (CBO) and the Knowledge Centre on Ageing (Vilans), instigated by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, to improve integrated care for people with dementia and their informal caregivers. The support needs of informal caregivers are important to improve caregiver well-being and delaying institutionalization of the person with dementia.MethodsIn the period April 2006 - January 2007, the National Dementia Programme questionnaire was completed by 984 informal caregivers. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the use of and needs for additional professional support by informal caregivers. Chi-square tests were used to assess the relationships between characteristics of the caregivers (spouses, sons/daughters, sons/daughters in-law) and support needs on one hand and to assess the relationship between the living situation of the person with dementia (living at home or living in a nursing home or home for the elderly) and support needs on the other hand.ResultsAlmost all informal caregivers (92.6%) received some professional support. However, two thirds (67.4%) indicated they had one or more needs for additional professional support. Informal caregivers often need additional professional advice about what to do when their relative is frightened, angry of confused. Spouses reported different needs than sons or daughters (in-law): spouses relatively often need emotional support and sons or daughters (in-law) more often need information and coordination of dementia care.ConclusionsMost of the informal caregivers report that they need additional information and advice, e.g. about how to cope with behavioral problems of their relative, about the progression of the illness trajectory, emotional support and coordination of dementia care. Future support programmes, e.g. in the field of case management, should address the specific needs of informal caregivers.

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