Abstract
Study Premises There is great power in a model of psychosocial treatment that works well. Caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients are known to encounter stressors resulting in compromised health status for the caregiver; however, the factors that contribute to an integrated model of care for ill, disabled, and older family members has not been fully explored. A 36-month project funded by the U.S. Administration on Aging demonstrates a model of interventions effective in ameliorating caregiver stress, and this presentation will examine in some depth the stresses experienced by adult family caregivers but also the factors that together in an integrated model of caregiving appear to alleviate burden and stress. Thesis, Aims, and Goals This poster depicts the findings of a three-year empirical study that served as a demonstration model of human services and family practice with caregivers of dementia patients in Sarasota Florida, one of the U.S. regions with the highest percentages of elder population (35%). The study produced measurable outcomes of counseling interventions, in-person therapy visits, ad hoc visits and telephone interviews, and familial social support. The outcomes, such as improved caregiver burden assessments and caregivers’ improved understanding of memory loss and behavioral change in individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease were found to be positive for caregiving individuals. This poster develops a cohesive argument that a systematic and evidence-based model of psycho-social interventions plays an important role in alleviating the stress commonly known as “caregiver burden”.
Author Information
Jane Roberts, University of South Florida, USA
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