TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of the home Environmental Skill-Building Program on the caregiver-care recipient dyad
T2 - 6-Month outcomes from the Philadelphia REACH Initiative
AU - Gitlin, Laura N.
AU - Winter, Laraine
AU - Corcoran, Mary
AU - Dennis, Marie P.
AU - Schinfeld, Sandy
AU - Hauck, Walter W.
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was partially funded by an action–demonstration grant from the AARP Andrus Foundation for the project: Vision Rehabilitation and Family Services: Maximizing Functional and Psychosocial Status for Both Older Visually Impaired Adults and Their Families. We acknowledge the many other people at Lighthouse International who contributed to the intervention, education, and research components of this project: Betty Bird, Marjorie Cantor, Josephine DeFini, Mary Ann Flynn, Barbara Silverstone, Cynthia Stuen, Carol Sussman-Skalka, and Valerie Ward. We thank Mark Brennan and Tenko Raykov for statistical consultation.
PY - 2003/8
Y1 - 2003/8
N2 - Purpose: We examine 6-month effects of the Environmental Skill-Building Program on caregiver well-being and care recipient functioning and whether effects vary by caregiver gender, race (White or non-White), and relationship (spouse or nonspouse). Design and Methods: We enrolled 255 family caregivers of community-residing persons with Alzheimer's disease or related disorders, of whom 190 participated in a follow-up interview. Caregivers were randomized to a usual care control group or intervention group that received five home contacts and one telephone contact by occupational therapists, who provided education, problem-solving training, and adaptive equipment. Baseline and 6-month follow-up included self-report measures of caregiver objective and subjective burden, caregiver well-being, and care recipient problem behaviors and physical function. Results: Compared with controls (n = 101), intervention caregivers (n = 89) reported less upset with memory-related behaviors, less need for assistance from others, and better affect. Intervention spouses reported less upset with disruptive behaviors; men reported spending less time in daily oversight; and women reported less need for help from others, better affect, and enhanced management ability, overall well-being, and mastery relative to control group counterparts. Statistically significant treatment differences were not found for hours helping with instrumental activities of daily living, upset with providing assistance with instrumental activities of daily living and activities of daily living, perceived change in somatic symptoms, White versus non-White caregivers, or care recipient outcomes. Implications: The Environmental Skill-Building Program reduces burden and enhances caregiver well-being in select domains and has added benefit for women and spouses.
AB - Purpose: We examine 6-month effects of the Environmental Skill-Building Program on caregiver well-being and care recipient functioning and whether effects vary by caregiver gender, race (White or non-White), and relationship (spouse or nonspouse). Design and Methods: We enrolled 255 family caregivers of community-residing persons with Alzheimer's disease or related disorders, of whom 190 participated in a follow-up interview. Caregivers were randomized to a usual care control group or intervention group that received five home contacts and one telephone contact by occupational therapists, who provided education, problem-solving training, and adaptive equipment. Baseline and 6-month follow-up included self-report measures of caregiver objective and subjective burden, caregiver well-being, and care recipient problem behaviors and physical function. Results: Compared with controls (n = 101), intervention caregivers (n = 89) reported less upset with memory-related behaviors, less need for assistance from others, and better affect. Intervention spouses reported less upset with disruptive behaviors; men reported spending less time in daily oversight; and women reported less need for help from others, better affect, and enhanced management ability, overall well-being, and mastery relative to control group counterparts. Statistically significant treatment differences were not found for hours helping with instrumental activities of daily living, upset with providing assistance with instrumental activities of daily living and activities of daily living, perceived change in somatic symptoms, White versus non-White caregivers, or care recipient outcomes. Implications: The Environmental Skill-Building Program reduces burden and enhances caregiver well-being in select domains and has added benefit for women and spouses.
KW - Clinical trial
KW - Home care
KW - Home modification
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U2 - 10.1093/geront/43.4.532
DO - 10.1093/geront/43.4.532
M3 - Article
C2 - 12937332
AN - SCOPUS:0042536450
SN - 0016-9013
VL - 43
SP - 532
EP - 546
JO - Gerontologist
JF - Gerontologist
IS - 4
ER -