Title
Evaluation of a telephone-based support group intervention for female caregivers of community-dwelling individuals with dementia
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
December 2006
Abstract
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 randomized 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 caregivers (≥65) in telesupport reported lower depression than control group caregivers did.
http://jdc.jefferson.edu/carah_papers/13
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Comments
Embargoed - eligible for release December 2007 - AEK. This article has been peer reviewed. It is the authors' final version prior to publication in The American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias 21(6):391-397. The published version is available at http://aja.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/21/6/391, or DOI: 10.1177/1533317506291371. Copyright is retained by Sage Publications.