ANN ARBOR—Researchers have developed a new system that helps provide intervention to caregivers of patients with dementia.

Family caregivers play a pivotal role in managing the health and care of dementia patients, but the needs of these caregivers are not often assessed, researchers say.

“Although providing care can be rewarding, it often places caregivers at great risk for negative outcomes that also compromise the well-being of the patients with dementia,” said Louis Burgio, a professor in the University of Michigan School of Social Work and research professor at the Institute of Gerontology. Burgio was one of eight authors of a new study.

In this study, the researchers identified 16 risks that are confronted most often with dementia caregivers and care recipients. A risk appraisal measure provides information that can help clinicians tailor interventions to a caregiver’s individual needs.

The screening form can be administered by any health care professional to the caregiver: physicians, nurses, eldercare agency or social worker. This screening form helps focus on the most serious problems. The interventions are most often administered through a social service agency. It has been used in physician’s offices with a nurse or social worker doing the intervention.

“The measure is an efficient and easily administered tool that can provide a road map for intervention,” he said, noting it will also increase the likelihood that a caregiver will receive the specific form of assistance needed to effectively maintain the care-giving role.

Researchers analyzed data from 642 dementia caregivers who provided in-home care. They were age 21 and older, lived with or shared cooking facilities with the patient, provided at least four hours per day for at least six months, and reported distress.

A 16-item measure assessed six domains linked to caregiver risk and was amenable to intervention: depression, burden, self-care and health behaviors, social support, safety, and patient problem behaviors.

Intervention strategies for each domain were devised. If a caregiver’s primary problem was a feeling of extreme burden and stress, one treatment from a health care professional might involve the caregiver learning stress management techniques such as breathing exercises and stretching.

The report also found significant differences for the safety, burden and depression domains across racial and ethnic groups.

Burgio said Hispanic caregivers were at slightly higher risk for depression than other caregivers. Black and Hispanic caregivers, however, reported fewer burdens than white caregivers. White caregivers reported more problems with safety concerns.

The report’s authors were Sara Czaja, University of Miami; Laura Gitlin, Thomas Jefferson University; Richard Schulz, University Center for Social and Urban Research; Song Zhang, University of Pittsburgh; Alan Stevens, Texas A&M Health Science Center; Linda Nichols, University of Tennessee; and Dolores Gallagher-Thompson, Stanford University.

Links:

Burgio: http://ssw.umich.edu/about/profiles/profile-lburgio.html

School of Social Work: http://ssw.umich.edu/

BurgioSchool of Social Work