A Web-Based Psychoeducational Program for Informal Caregivers of Patients With Alzheimer’s Disease: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial The Effects of a Special Computer Network on Caregivers of Persons with Alzheimer's Disease Evaluation of a Telephone-Based Support Group Intervention for Female Caregivers of Community-Dwelling Individuals With Dementia Worksite-based internet multimedia program for family caregivers of persons with dementia. Effectiveness of an Internet Intervention for Family Caregivers of People with Dementia: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial A telehealth behavioral coaching intervention for neurocognitive disorder family carers Evaluation of DEM-DISC, customized e-advice on health and social support services for informal carers and case managers of people with dementia; a cluster randomized trial. A videophone psychosocial intervention for dementia caregivers. Supporting Caregivers of Rural Veterans Electronically (SCORE) The effect of telephone support groups on costs of care for veterans with dementia. E-care: a telecommunications technology intervention for family caregivers of dementia patients. Effects of an automated telephone support system on caregiver burden and anxiety: findings from the REACH for TLC intervention study. Cognitive-behavioral intervention for homebound caregivers of persons with dementia. Effectiveness of a psychoeducational skill training DVD program to reduce stress in Chinese American dementia caregivers: Results of a preliminary study The effect of a family therapy and technology-based intervention on caregiver depression. Caring for others: Internet video-conferencing group intervention for family caregivers of older adults with neurodegenerative disease. Dementia Caregivers’ Responses to 2 Internet-Based Intervention Programs How does physician advice influence patient behavior? Evidence for a priming effect. A model telephone information and support program for caregivers of Alzheimer's patients. Perceived helpfulness of telephone calls--providing support for caregivers of family members with dementia. A trial of dementia caregiver telephone support. Telephone-delivered psychosocial intervention reduces burden in dementia caregivers User evaluation of the DEMentia-specific Digital Interactive Social Chart (DEM-DISC). A pilot study among informal carers on its impact, user friendliness and, usefulness Effects of a Telephone-Based Exercise Intervention for Dementia Caregiving Wives Factors affecting the use of a telephone-based intervention for caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease Dementelcoach: effect of telephone coaching on carers of community-dwelling people with dementia.
Background Although several face-to-face programs are dedicated to informal caregivers of persons with dementia , they are not always accessible to overburdened or isolated caregivers . Based on a face-to-face intervention program , we adapted and design ed a Web-based fully automated psychoeducational program ( called Diapason ) inspired by a cognitive approach . Objective This study aim ed to evaluate through a pilot unblinded r and omized controlled trial the efficacy and acceptability of a Web-based psychoeducational program for informal caregivers of persons with Alzheimer ’s disease ( PWAD ) based on a mixed methods research design . Methods We recruited and r and omized offline 49 informal caregivers of a PWAD in a day care center in Paris , France . They either received the Web-based intervention and usual care for 3 months ( experimental group , n=25 ) or only usual care ( control group , n=24 ) . Caregivers ’ perceived stress ( PSS-14 , primary outcome ) , self-efficacy , burden , perceived health status , and depression ( secondary outcomes ) were measured during 3 face-to-face on-site visits : at baseline , at the end of the program ( month 3 ) , and after follow-up ( month 6 ) . Additionally , semistructured interviews were conducted with experimental group caregivers at month 6 and examined with thematic analysis . Results Intention-to-treat analysis did not show significant differences in self-perceived stress between the experimental and control groups ( P=.98 ) . The experimental group significantly improved their knowledge of the illness ( d=.79 , P=.008 ) from baseline to month 3 . Of the 25 participants allocated to the experimental group , 17 ( 71 % ) finished the protocol and entirely viewed at least 10 of 12 online sessions . On average , participants used the website 19.72 times ( SD 12.88 ) and were connected for 262.20 minutes ( SD 270.74 ) . The results of the satisfaction question naire showed that most participants considered the program to be useful ( 95 % , 19/20 ) , clear ( 100 % , 20/20 ) , and comprehensive ( 85 % , 17/20 ) . Significant correlations were found between relationship and caregivers ’ program opinion ( P=.01 ) . Thus , positive opinions were provided by husb and s and sons ( 3/3 ) , whereas qualified opinions were primarily reported by daughters ( 8/11 ) . Female spouses expressed negative ( 2/3 ) or neutral opinions ( 1/3 ) . Caregivers expected more dynamic content and further interaction with staff and peers . Conclusions In this study , quantitative results were inconclusive owing to small sample size . Qualitative results indicated/showed little acceptance of the program and high expectations from caregivers . Caregivers did not rule out their interest in this kind of intervention provided that it met their needs . More dynamic , personalized , and social interventions are desirable . Our recruitment issues pointed out the necessity of in-depth studies about caregivers ’ help-seeking behaviors and readiness factors . Trial Registration Clinical trials.gov NCT01430286 ; http:// clinical trials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01430286 ( Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation/6KxHaRspL ) Caregivers of persons with Alzheimer 's disease ( AD ) are confronted with novel decision-making tasks that leave them at risk for social isolation . Computer Link is a computer network providing information , communication , and decision-support functions for caregivers of persons with AD . One hundred two AD caregivers participated in a r and omized field experiment to evaluate the effects of ComputerLink on confidence in decision making , decision-making skill , and social isolation . During the 1-year study period , AD caregivers averaged two encounters per week with Computer Link for sessions lasting an average of 13 minutes . Access to Computer Link enhanced caregivers'decision-making confidence . Decision-making skill was unaffected . ComputerLink access did not lead to changes in social isolation as measured by st and ard instruments . The decision-support function was used least often . Postings to ComputerLink 's public bulletin board included both information-seeking and supportive messages . These findings are congruent with reports of other community-based interventions for caregivers and consistent with evaluations of computerized decision-support systems Family caregivers , the “ second victims ” or hidden patients in dementia care , are at risk for social isolation , stress , depression , and mortality . Telephone-based support ( telesupport groups ) represents a practical , low-burden , low-cost source of emotional support . The present study evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of professionally led telephone-based support groups for female family caregivers of community-dwelling dementia patients . Recruited through various community sources , 103 female caregivers were r and omized to the telesupport group treatment or a control condition . Effects on caregiver burden , depression , and personal gains were evaluated at 6 months , the main end point . Older care-givers ( ≥65 ) in telesupport  reported lower depression than control group caregivers did PURPOSE Our goal was to evaluate the efficacy of a multimedia support program delivered over the Internet to employed family caregivers of persons with dementia . DESIGN AND METHODS The evaluation of this program involved 299 employed family caregivers participating in a pretest-posttest r and omized clinical trial with a 30-day follow-up and a waitlist control condition . Vali date d instruments include the Center for Epidemiologic Studies -Depression scale , the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory , the Caregiver Strain scale from Benjamin Rose , and Positive Aspects of Caregiving used in the nationwide REACH study . RESULTS Those who viewed Caregiver 's Friend : Dealing with Dementia 30 days postexposure demonstrated significant improvements in depression , anxiety , level and frequency of stress , caregiver strain , self-efficacy , and intention to seek help , as well as perceptions of positive aspects of caregiving . IMPLICATION S Interactive multimedia interventions delivered over the Internet appear to be uniquely suited to provide low-cost , effective , convenient , individually tailored programs that present educational information , cognitive and behavioral skills , and affective learning opportunities . This makes Web-based multimedia a promising avenue for work-life balance programs , employee-assistance providers , and organizations interested in improving family caregiver health and well-being Background The World Health Organization stresses the importance of accessible and (cost)effective caregiver support , given the expected increase in the number of people with dementia and the detrimental impact on the mental health of family caregivers . Methods This study assessed the effectiveness of the Internet intervention ‘ Mastery over Dementia ’ . In a RCT , 251 caregivers , of whom six were lost at baseline , were r and omly assigned to two groups . Caregivers in the experimental group ( N = 149 ) were compared to caregivers who received a minimal intervention consisting of e-bulletins ( N = 96 ) . Outcomes were symptoms of depression ( Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale : CES-D ) and anxiety ( Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale : HADS-A ) . All data were collected via the Internet , and an intention-to-treat analysis was carried out . Results Almost all caregivers were spouses or children ( in-law ) . They were predominantly female and lived with the care recipient in the same household . Age of the caregivers varied from 26 to 87 years . Level of education varied from primary school to university , with almost half of them holding a bachelor ’s degree or higher . Regression analyses showed that caregivers in the experimental group showed significantly lower symptoms of depression ( p = .034 ) and anxiety ( p = .007 ) post intervention after adjustment for baseline differences in the primary outcome scores and the functional status of the patients with dementia . Effect sizes were moderate for symptoms of anxiety ( .48 ) and small for depressive symptoms ( .26 ) . Conclusions The Internet course ‘ Mastery over Dementia ’ offers an effective treatment for family caregivers of people with dementia reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety . The results of this study justify further development of Internet interventions for family caregivers of people with dementia and suggest that such interventions are promising for keeping support for family caregivers accessible and affordable . The findings are even more promising because future generations of family caregivers will be more familiar with the Internet . Trial Registration Dutch Trial Register NTR-2051 www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/ rct Objectives This study examined the differential impact of two telehealth programs for women caring for an older adult with a neurocognitive disorder . Outcomes examined were depressive symptoms , upset following disruptive behaviors , anxious and angry mood states , and caregiving self‐efficacy . Methods Women cohabitating with a family member diagnosed with a neurocognitive disorder were assigned via r and om allocation to either of the following : ( 1 ) a 14‐week behavioral intervention using video instructional material s , workbook and telephone coaching in behavioral management , pleasant events scheduling , and relaxation or ( 2 ) a basic education guide and telephone support comparison condition . Telephone assessment s were conducted by interviewers blind to treatment condition at pre‐intervention , post‐intervention , and 6 months following intervention . Results For those providing in‐home care at post‐treatment , depressive symptoms , upset following disruptive behaviors , and negative mood states were statistically lower in the behavioral coaching condition than in the basic education and support condition . Reliable change index analyses for Beck Depression Inventory II scores favored the behavioral coaching condition . Caregiving self‐efficacy scores for obtaining respite and for managing patient behavioral disturbances were significantly higher in the coaching condition . Effect sizes were moderate but not maintained at the 6‐month follow‐up . Conclusions This study provides some initial evidence for the efficacy of a telehealth behavioral coaching intervention compared with basic education and telephone support . Carers ' abilities to maintain strategy use during progressive disorders such as Alzheimer 's disease likely require longer intervention contact than provided in the current study . Dementia carers , including those living in rural areas , can benefit from accessible and empirically supported interventions that can be easily disseminated across distances at modest cost . © 2015 The Authors . International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry Published by John Wiley & Sons , BACKGROUND Few personalized e- interventions are available for informal and professional caregivers of people with dementia . The DEMentia Digital Interactive Social Chart ( DEM-DISC ) is an ICT tool to support customized disease management in dementia . The aim of this study was to improve and evaluate DEM-DISC , its user-friendliness and usefulness and to investigate the future implementation . METHODS A cluster r and omized controlled trial ( RCT ) design was used with measurements at baseline , 6 and 12 months . A total of 73 informal caregivers of people with dementia , supported by 19 r and omized case managers participated in the study . In the intervention group , both carers ( n = 41 ) and case managers ( n = 13 ) could access DEM-DISC during twelve months . The control group , 32 carers and 14 case managers , had no access to DEM-DISC . Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten stakeholders . RESULTS Informal caregivers who used DEM-DISC for twelve months reported an increased sense of competence than controls . A subgroup of users who frequently accessed DEM-DISC reported more met needs after six months than controls . Overall informal caregivers and case managers judged DEM-DISC as easy to learn and user-friendly . CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that using DEM-DISC had a positive effect on the sense of competence and experienced ( met ) needs of informal carers . This shows the importance of user-friendly ICT solutions to assist carers in finding appropriate care services tailored to their specific situation and needs . For further implementation of DEM-DISC methods to keep the information up date d is of great importance BACKGROUND / OBJECTIVES Available services and intervention programs for dementia caregivers are often underutilized because of issues such as cost , logistics , lack of knowledge about available services , or insufficient support from others . Information technologies offer the potential of removing these barriers and facilitating the ability of caregivers to access needed support . This project evaluated the feasibility and efficacy of technology-based psychosocial intervention among minority family caregivers of dementia patients . DESIGN A feasibility and efficacy trial . SETTING Participants ' homes in the Greater Miami Community . PARTICIPANTS One hundred ten ( 56 Hispanic American and 54 African American ) caregivers of patients with dementia . INTERVENTION A technology-based multi-component psychosocial intervention was delivered in-home and via videophone technology over 5 months . The intervention was modeled after the REACH II intervention and targeted known areas of caregiver risk . MEASUREMENT St and ardized measures of depression , caregiver burden , social support , and the caregivers ' perception of the caregiver 's experience were administered at baseline and 5 months post-r and omization . RESULTS Overall , caregivers who received the intervention reported a decrease in burden , an increase in perceived social support and positive perceptions of the caregiving experience . No effect was observed for depression . Most participants indicated that the intervention improved their caregiving skills and found the technology to be easy to use . CONCLUSIONS A technology-based format was feasible for delivering a multi-component intervention to minority family dementia caregivers . The intervention improved caregiver outcomes for both Hispanic and African American caregivers . The results suggest that technology may help eliminate disparities in access to caregiver intervention programs BACKGROUND The increasing prevalence of dementia , including among rural veterans , highlights the improved outcomes possible for caregivers who receive effective support . However , providing these complex interventions in rural areas presents challenges . Internet-based and telephone-based caregiver support can potentially exp and access to effective support . METHODS We design ed a multisite intervention for caregivers of veterans with dementia . Caregivers were stratified into 2 cohorts based on their use or nonuse of the Internet . Each cohort was then r and omized to either a technology or telephone-delivered support group within each cohort . All groups had a care manager who monitored the 4- to 6-month multicomponent program of assessment s , educational content , and skills training . Caregiver outcome measures included burden , anticipatory grief , depression , family conflict , and a desire to institutionalize the care recipient . RESULTS The majority of comparative effectiveness outcomes were not different between caregivers receiving technology interventions versus those receiving telephone-delivered support . This was true for the 68 % of caregivers using home Internet and the 32 % nonusers , as well as the 53 % rural versus 47 % urban caregivers . For experienced Internet users , a meaningful difference in the Marwit Grief Inventory was noted for caregivers receiving Internet versus telephone support , particularly for the Isolation Subscale . CONCLUSION This study demonstrates the feasibility and acceptability of using a variety of modalities to deliver caregiver support to a group of largely older , rural , spousal caregivers of veterans with dementia . The potential for reducing isolation for caregivers capable of receiving this intervention through the Internet is a promising finding PURPOSE Few studies have addressed the effects of  caregiver interventions  on the costs of care for the care recipient . This study evaluated the effects of a caregiver education and support group delivered via the telephone on care recipient health care utilization and cost . DESIGN AND METHODS The Telehealth Education Program ( TEP ) is a manualized program of education and support design ed for caregivers of veterans with moderate-to-severe dementia . One hundred fifty-eight spousal caregivers were r and omly assigned to either the ten 1-hr sessions of TEP or the usual care ( UC ) .  Health care utilization and cost data were extracted from veterans Information System Technology Architecture data bases and included outpatient , inpatient , and nursing home data within the VA . RESULTS Total health care cost data showed a significant ( p = .039 ) average cost savings of $ 2,768 per patient at 6 months for TEP as compared with UC , but these were not maintained at 1 year . All costs included in the total costs measure contributed to this difference . Inpatient , outpatient , and nursing home costs were all assessed separately , but only nursing home costs reached significance ( p = .009 ) , with a savings of $ 1,057 per patient at 6 months . IMPLICATION S The TEP caregiver intervention result ed in short-term cost savings for veteran care recipients . Future studies of caregiver interventions should examine their effects on costs of care for the care recipients in addition to their effects on caregiver outcomes OBJECTIVE This study evaluated the effectiveness of a  technology-based psychoeducational intervention for family caregivers of dementia patients . An additional objective was to determine if the intervention could be implemented by a community-based social service agency . METHODS Forty-six caregivers were r and omly assigned to either a technology-based intervention or an information-only control condition . RESULTS Caregivers assigned to the intervention condition reported a significant decrease in burden postintervention and those who evidence d high depression at baseline experienced a significant decline in depression . CONCLUSION This study provides evidence that technology offers a cost-effective and practical method for delivering interventions to caregivers PURPOSE We determine the main outcome effects of a 12-month computer-mediated automated interactive voice response ( IVR ) intervention design ed to assist family caregivers managing persons with disruptive behaviors related to Alzheimer 's disease ( AD ) . DESIGN AND METHODS We conducted a r and omized controlled study of 100 caregivers , 51 in the usual care control group and 49 in the technology intervention group , who received yearlong access to an IVR-mediated system .  The system provided caregiver stress monitoring and counseling information , personal voice-mail linkage to AD experts , a voice-mail telephone support group , and a distraction call for care recipients . We conducted analyses by using a repeated measures approach for longitudinal data and an intention-to-treat analytic approach . Outcomes included the caregiver 's appraisal of the bothersome nature of caregiving , anxiety , depression , and mastery at baseline , 6 , 12 , and 18 months . RESULTS There was a significant intervention effect as hypothesized for participants with lower mastery at baseline on all three outcomes : bother ( p = .04 ) , anxiety ( p = .01 ) , and depression ( p = .007 ) . Additionally , wives exhibited a significant intervention effect in the reduction of the bothersome nature of caregiving ( p = .02 ) . IMPLICATION S Wives who exhibited low mastery and high anxiety benefited the most from the automated telecare intervention . Findings suggest that , to optimize outcome effects , similar interventions should be tailored to match the users ' characteristics and preferences BACKGROUND Family caregivers experience considerable stress in their management of specific behaviors of persons with dementia . OBJECTIVE To examine the effects of an 8-week cognitive-behavioral ( C-B ) intervention tailored to the specific deficits of persons with dementia ( PWDs ) on selected outcomes for homebound caregivers and the functional status of the PWD . METHOD The design was a two-group r and omized trial with measures taken at baseline , 4 weeks , 8 weeks , and 12 weeks . Subjects were 65 caregiver-care recipient dyads . A majority of the 65 female caregivers were spouses with a mean age of 66.5 years . Thirty-one women who received the C-B intervention  were compared to 34 who received the  attention-only ( A-O ) placebo telephone calls .  Coping strategies , perceptions of caregiver burden and satisfaction , and emotional and physical health were assessed at the four points in time . RESULTS Results indicated a time by group interaction in depression , with less depression in the C-B than the A-O group . Both groups experienced a significant reduction in anxiety , and a significant consistent decrease in satisfaction over time . Both groups also demonstrated decreased use of emotion-focused coping strategies . CONCLUSION The results suggest a plausible effectiveness of the C-B intervention in preventing the progression of depression . Suggestions for future research are provided Prior research ( Gallagher-Thompson , D. , Gray , H. , Tang , P. , Pu , C.-Y. , Tse , C. , Hsu , S. , et al. ( 2007 ) . Impact of in-home intervention versus telephone support in reducing  depression and stress of Chinese caregivers : Results of a pilot study . American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry , 15 , 425–434 . ) found that an in-home behavioral management program , derived conceptually from cognitive behavioral theories ( CBT ) , was effective in reducing caregiver related stress and depressive symptoms in Chinese American dementia caregivers ( CGs ) . Results were promising , but a more cost-effective intervention is needed to serve this growing population . Past work also found that a psychoeducational videotaped training program based on CBT was effective in reducing stress due to caregiving in Caucasian and African American dementia family CGs ( Steffen , 2000 , Anger management for dementia caregivers : A preliminary study using video and telephone interventions . Behavior Therapy , 31 , 281–299 . ) . To date no research has been conducted using a technological medium to deliver a similar kind of intervention to Chinese American caregivers . The present study evaluated the effectiveness of a similar but culturally “ tailored ” program in which 70 CGs were r and omly assigned to a 12-week CBT skill training program delivered on a DVD , or to a general educational DVD program on dementia . Both were available in M and arin Chinese or English as preferred . Pre post change analyses indicated that CGs did not differ on change in level of negative depressive symptoms , but positive affect was higher , and patient behaviors were appraised as less stressful and bothersome , for CGs in the CBT skill training program . They were also more satisfied with the program overall and reported that they believed they were able to give care more effectively . Results encourage further development of theoretically based interventions , delivered using modern technology , for this ever increasing group of CGs PURPOSE The majority of persons with Alzheimer 's disease ( AD ) are cared for at home by a family member such as a spouse or daughter . Caregiving places enormous dem and s on these caregivers , and the negative consequences associated with caregiving are well documented . This paper reports results from the Miami site of the REACH ( Re sources for Enhancing Alzheimer 's Caregiver Health ) program that examined the efficacy of a family therapy and technology-based intervention in reducing depressive symptoms ( according to the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale ) among family caregivers of AD patients at 6 months and 18 months follow-up . DESIGN AND METHODS There were 225 White American and Cuban American caregivers that were r and omized into a structural ecosystems therapy , structural ecosystems therapy + computer-telephone integrated system , or minimal support control condition .  RESULTS Caregivers in the combined family therapy and technology intervention experienced a significant reduction in depressive symptoms at 6 months . The 18-month follow-up data indicated that the intervention was particularly beneficial for Cuban American husb and and daughter caregivers . IMPLICATION S The results indicate that information technology has a promising role in alleviating distress and depression among groups of AD caregivers . The data also demonstrate that interventions have differential impacts according to ethnic group and the caregiver-patient relationship PURPOSE The aim of this pilot feasibility study was to evaluate the effects of an innovative , Internet-based psychosocial intervention for family caregivers of older adults with neurodegenerative disease . DESIGN AND METHODS After receiving signed informed consent from each participant , we r and omly assigned 66 caregivers to an Internet-based intervention or to a no-intervention control group .  The intervention group received computers and training in order to access a password-protected Web site with links to information , e-mail , and threaded discussion . Unique to the Web site was a video-conferencing link that supported caregivers ' participation in a 10-session , manual-guided psychosocial support group , followed by 12 additional online sessions facilitated by a group member . Participants completed health-status and stress-response measures at baseline and 6-month follow-up . RESULTS Content analysis of archived video sessions showed ( a ) reliable adherence to the manual-guided support-group intervention and ( b ) online group discussion themes similar to those in face-to-face caregiver support groups . Analyses of stress-response outcome data showed significant between-group differences , with the intervention group experiencing a decline in stress compared with an escalation in stress for the control group . IMPLICATION S Despite the limitations of this pilot study in terms of limited sample size and 54 % dropout of control participants at 6-month follow-up , the results provide preliminary supportive evidence for a technology-based psychosocial intervention for family caregivers of individuals with neurodegenerative disease Purpose : The aim of this study was to examine the impact on dementia caregivers ’ experienced stress and health status of 2 Internet-based intervention programs . Design and methods : Ninety-one dementia caregivers were given the choice of being involved in either an Internet-based chat support group or an Internet-based video conferencing support group . Pre-post outcome measures focused on distress , health status , social support , and service utilization . Results : In contrast to the Chat Group , the Video Group showed significantly greater improvement in mental health status . Also , for the Video Group , improvements in self-efficacy , neuroticism , and social support were associated with lower stress response to coping with the care recipient ’s cognitive impairment and decline in function . Implication s : The results show that , of 2 Internet-based intervention programs for dementia caregivers , the video conferencing intervention program was more effective in improving mental health status and improvement in personal characteristics were associated with lower caregiver stress response OBJECTIVE To explore a potential " priming effect " of physician advice on patient responses to behavioral change interventions . DESIGN R and omized controlled trial with a 3-month follow-up . SETTING Four community-based group family medicine clinics in southeastern Missouri . PARTICIPANTS Adult patients ( N = 915 ) . INTERVENTIONS Printed educational material s design ed to encourage patients to quit smoking , eat less fat , and increase physical activity . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Recall , rating , and use of the educational material s ; changes in smoking behavior , dietary fat consumption , and physical activity . RESULTS Patients who received physician advice to quit smoking , eat less fat , or get more exercise prior to receiving intervention material s on the same topic were more likely to remember the material s , show them to others , and perceive the material s as applying to them specifically . They were also more likely to report trying to quit smoking ( odds ratio [ OR ] = 1.54 , 95 % confidence interval [ CI ] = 0.95 - 2.40 ) , quitting for at least 24 hours ( OR = 1.85 , 95 % CI = 1.02 - 3.34 ) , and making some changes in diet ( OR = 1.35 , 95 % CI = 1.00 - 1.84 ) and physical activity ( OR = 1.51 , 95 % CI = 0.95 - 2.40 ) . CONCLUSIONS Findings support an integrated model of disease prevention in which physician advice is a catalyst for change and is supported by a coordinated system of information and activities that can provide the depth of detail and individualization necessary for sustained behavioral change A model telephone support program involved setting up peer networks of four or five caregivers for regular telephone conversations . A r and omized comparison was made of participants in networks ( n = 31 ) and participants listening to an informational mini-lecture series assessed over the telephone ( n = 35 ) . Results indicated information gain , increased perceived social supports , and increased satisfaction with social supports regardless of program component . Greater information gain and more frequent emotional support from family and friends was shown for those listening to lectures . Less frequent emotional support from family and friends was found for peer network participants , suggesting support substitution The purpose of this study was to determine the perceived helpfulness of telephone calls to 83 caregivers of family members with dementia . Study participants were assigned by groups to experimental ( n = 41 ) or attention-only control ( n = 42 ) conditions . Initial baseline interview data and narrative transcripts of telephone calls were used in this study . Major perceived reasons for helpfulness were that participants were assisted in sharing thoughts and feelings , expressing feelings of being overwhelmed , discussing physical and psychosocial problems , forgetting the situation , seeking reassurance , and asking for information ; several participants perceived the telephone calls to be lacking in helpfulness . Results from this study suggest family caregivers can be helped through a variety of social support mechanisms The purpose of this study was to determine if telephone support groups for dementia caregivers have an effect on bother with patient behaviours , burden , depression , and general well-being . The r and omized controlled trial compared telephone support groups ( 15 groups of 5 or 6 caregivers ) with control groups ( print material s ) . Groups met 14 times over 1 year . The 1-hour sessions included content on education , coping skills , and support . Data were collected at baseline and at 6 and 12 months . The sample comprised 154 caregivers , 77 per arm , providing care to veterans with dementia or a veteran caregiver . Bother was found to differ significantly at baseline . There were no significant treatment effect differences between study arms . Participants anecdotally reported improvement . It was concluded that telephone support groups are an efficient way to interact with caregivers . Further research should test different models of care . Interventions that are targeted to specific needs or occur frequently may provide better support for caregivers of individuals with a worsening condition The objective of this study was to examine the preliminary efficacy of Family Intervention : Telephone Tracking — Dementia ( FITT-D ) , a multi-component intervention that is delivered in 23 telephone contacts over 12 months . Thirty-three dementia caregivers were r and omly assigned to receive either FITT-D ( n = 16 ) or st and ard care ( n = 17 ) using urn r and omization to balance the groups on dementia severity , caregiver gender and relationship type ( spouse versus other ) . Inclusion criteria included formal dementia diagnosis , caregiving for at least six months , residing with the care recipient , and providing at least four hours of direct supervision per day . Master's-level therapists contacted caregivers by telephone over 12 months . Each contact followed a st and ardized treatment manual , involving assessment and individualized application of interventions to address mood , family functioning , social support and health . Outcomes included Zarit Burden Interview , Revised Memory and Behavior Problem Checklist , and the Geriatric Depression Scale at baseline and 12 months ( end of treatment ) . Caregivers receiving  FITT-D exhibited significantly lower burden scores and less severe reactions to memory and behavior problems than caregivers in the st and ard care condition . Findings provide preliminary evidence for the efficacy of FITT-D , a potentially highly accessible , low-cost intervention for dementia caregivers Objective : The need for information about the disease and coping with the consequences , as well as on available care and welfare services , is frequently unmet in people with dementia and their carers . To provide carers of community-dwelling people with dementia with tailored information , the DEMentia-specific dynamic interactive social chart ( DEM-DISC ) was developed . The impact on the daily life of people with dementia and their carers , the user friendliness and usefulness of a first prototype of DEM-DISC was evaluated . Method : DEM-DISC was tested among informal carers in a pretest – posttest control group design . Fourteen informal carers could access DEM-DISC at home during a two month period . Fourteen controls did not have access to DEM-DISC .  Data were collected by separate interviews with people with dementia and carers at pretest and posttest , by means of digital logging , short telephone interviews , and a bottleneck checklist during the intervention period . Results : People with dementia and informal carers reported more met and less unmet needs after DEM-DISC use and carers in the experimental group reported higher levels of competence than controls . Although they were not explicitly satisfied with this first prototype of DEM-DISC , carers found DEM-DISC easy to learn and relatively user friendly . Carers acknowledged the system 's benefits . Conclusion : The positive effects might be caused by the systematic and tailored individual way of information provisioning by DEM-DISC . It would be worthwhile to continue to develop DEM-DISC and to conduct r and omized trials on the impact on patients and carers as well as the impact on nursing home admission and healthcare expenditure Despite the importance of self-care for dementia caregivers , few interventions have included a focus on health behaviors . This study reports outcomes of a telephone-based exercise intervention design ed for women caring for a spouse with dementia . Caregivers ( N = 137 ) were r and omized to intervention or control conditions . Participants with at- or below-median exercise scores at baseline had a significantly greater increase in exercise at 6-month follow-up compared with their control counterparts . At 6 months , participants had greater reductions in perceived stress relative to controls . Participants also reported significantly greater increases in exercise self-efficacy than caregivers in the control group at both follow-up points . Results indicate that spouse caregivers are able to increase their physical activity and that a focus on exercise in multicomponent interventions may be beneficial . Debate and discussion are needed to inform expectations for program effects and their maintenance and to explore the interface between enhanced self-care and caregiving perceptions We investigated the usefulness of a computer-mediated interactive voice response ( IVR ) system integrated with voicemail to help family caregivers manage disruptive behaviours in people with Alzheimer 's disease . The r and omization procedure result ed in 49 caregivers being assigned to the intervention group and 51 to the control group . Using their ordinary telephone , the caregivers were linked to the four components of the IVR system : monitoring and counselling , an in-home support group , ' ask the expert ' , and a respite conversation . During an 18-month study , total system usage amounted to 55 min per user ( SD 78 , range 1 - 318 ) . Half the participants used the system for at least 22 min , and 25 % for at least 70 min . Participants made between one and 45 calls over the study period , averaging 11 calls ( SD 12 ) . Approximately half of the intervention group used the system regularly for two or more months . These ' adopters ' were significantly older , more highly educated and reported a greater sense of management of the situation than ' non-adopters ' . Adopters were much more likely than non-adopters to have been rated as highly proficient by the trainer following the technology training session . The IVR approach appealed to a subset of users . However , the overall preference was for human interaction BACKGROUND Dementelcoach is a new telephone intervention to support informal caregivers of community dwelling people with dementia . The effectiveness of this intervention was evaluated on burden and mental health problems of informal caregivers . METHODS A pre-test/post-test comparison group design was used with three groups of informal caregivers . Two of the groups were experimental and received either ( 1 ) telephone coaching or ( 2 ) telephone coaching in combination with respite care ( psychogeriatric day care ) ; the third was a comparison group which received day care only . Telephone coaching was offered by trained coaches once every two to three weeks over a period of 20 weeks . RESULTS Informal caregivers who received telephone coaching in combination with respite care reported significantly less burden compared to caregivers who received telecoaching only , and they experienced significantly fewer mental health problems than those who received day care only . CONCLUSION Telecoaching according to the principles of Dementelcoach combined with respite care(psychogeriatric day care ) is more effective in reducing burden and health complaints in informal caregivers of community-dwelling people with dementia than telecoaching or day care only
Background To assess the scope , volume and quality of research on the acceptability , utilisation and effectiveness of telephone- and computer-delivered interventions  for caregivers of people living with dementia .