A comparison of in-home and telephone-based skill training with caregivers of persons with dementia.

The purpose of this study was to compare telephone training with in-home training for reducing family caregiver burden, distress and depression as well as improving caregivers' abilities to manage the functional decline of persons with Alzheimer's disease (AD). A total of 71 caregiver-care recipient dyads were randomized into telephone training, in-home training, or friendly call (comparison) group. Sixty-one (86%) completed the training protocol and the 12-week outcome assessment (T2). Repeated measures ANOVAs were used to compare scores after 12 weeks of training (T2) and again, after 12 weeks without contact (T3). In-home training reduced caregiving burden and distress at T2 and maintained those reductions at T3. Telephone training took longer to reduce burden and distress by T3, but was associated with greater caregiver attrition. Friendly calls reduced caregiving burden and distress temporarily at T2, but the effects were not carried over to T3.

Duke Scholars

Author Linda Lindsey Davis School of Nursing