The Prince Henry Hospital dementia caregivers' training programme.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the theory, elements and practice of a successful caregiver training programme; and report the 8-year outcome.


METHODS
Prospective, randomized control trial and longitudinal follow-up over approximately 8 years.


METHODS
Psychiatry unit, general teaching hospital, Sydney, Australia.


METHODS
96 persons less than 80 years old with mild to moderate dementia and their cohabiting caregivers.


METHODS
All patients received a 10-day structured memory retraining and activity programme. Caregivers in the immediate and wait-list caregiver training groups received a structured, residential, intensive 10-day training programme, boosted by follow-ups and telephone conferences over 12 months. Those in the wait-list group entered the programme after waiting 6 months. The third group of caregivers received 10 days' respite (while patients underwent their memory retraining programme) and 12 months booster sessions as for the other groups.


METHODS
Nursing home admission; time until patient death.


RESULTS
64% of patients whose caregivers were in the immediate training group, 53% of wait-list group patients and 70% of memory retraining patients had died. Nursing home admission had occurred in 79% of the immediate training, 83% of the delayed and 90% of the memory retraining group. Eight-year survival analysis indicated that patients whose caregivers received training stayed at home significantly longer (p = 0.037) and tended to live longer (p = 0.08).


CONCLUSIONS
Caregiver training programmes demonstrably can delay institutionalization of people with dementia.
Brodaty
H
H
Academic Department of Psychogeriatrics, Prince Henry Hospital, Sydney, Australia. s8300158@vmsuser.acsu.unsw.edu.au
Gresham
M
M
Luscombe
G
G
D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000193:education*; D003704:Dementia / Q000401:mortality / Q000451:nursing*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006701:Home Nursing / Q000193:education*; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009517:New South Wales; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome