Articles: caregivers.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Enhancing the quality of life of dementia caregivers from different ethnic or racial groups: a randomized, controlled trial.
Caring for a family member with dementia is extremely stressful, contributes to psychiatric and physical illness among caregivers, and increases the risk for caregiver death. Finding better ways to support family caregivers is a major public health challenge. ⋯ A structured multicomponent intervention adapted to individual risk profiles can increase the quality of life of ethnically diverse dementia caregivers. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00177489.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
The effect of a disease management intervention on quality and outcomes of dementia care: a randomized, controlled trial.
Adherence to dementia guidelines is poor despite evidence that some guideline recommendations can improve symptoms and delay institutionalization of patients. ⋯ A dementia guideline-based disease management program led to substantial improvements in quality of care for patients with dementia. Current Controlled Trials identifier: ISRCTN72577751.
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Social science & medicine · Aug 2006
Randomized Controlled TrialPredictors of improvement in social support: Five-year effects of a structured intervention for caregivers of spouses with Alzheimer's disease.
Those who provide care at home for a spouse with Alzheimer's disease (AD) endure considerable challenges, including social isolation and increasing caregiving responsibilities. We examine the extent to which an intervention that helps spouse-caregivers mobilize their social support network, helps them better adapt to the caregiving role. ⋯ Higher levels of emotional support, more visits, and having more network members to whom they felt close were all individually predictive of longitudinal changes in social support network satisfaction. We conclude with a discussion of the importance of having psychological respite when caregivers spend their days in the home and are isolated.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Beyond stroke: description and evaluation of an effective intervention to support family caregivers of stroke patients.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of a group support program and a home visiting program for family caregivers of stroke patients. It also examined the best fit between intervention variant and family caregiver and patient characteristics. van den Heuvel's previous effect study showed positive effects of the same intervention program, but unlike our present study differences between the two support variants could not be measured. ⋯ In order to suitably match an intervention type with specific caregiver characteristics the intervention provider should utilize caregiver self-selection or undertake professional screening of caregiver burden. Telephone contacts should be offered in addition to the interventions.
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Am J Hosp Palliat Care · Jun 2006
Randomized Controlled TrialQuality of life of caregivers of patients with advanced-stage cancer.
There has been much research documenting the impact of having a loved one diagnosed with advanced cancer, but little is known about how to reduce care-giver burden. In this randomized controlled trial, the authors examined the potential relationship of an advanced cancer patient's participation in an 8-session, structured, multidisciplinary intervention on the care-giver's burden and quality of life (QOL). Although the patients randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 54) demonstrated improved QOL compared to the control condition (n = 49) participants (P < .05), there was no evidence that improving the patient's QOL made an impact on the caregiver's level of burden or the care-giver's QOL. Further investigation is warranted in this area, including interventions specifically designed and targeted to both reduce caregiver burden and to improve caregiver QOL.