Sustained benefit of supportive intervention for depressive symptoms in caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease.
OBJECTIVE
The long-term effect of counseling and support on symptoms of depression was examined in spouse-caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease.


METHODS
The participants were 406 spouse-caregivers of Alzheimer's disease patients who lived at home at baseline. The caregivers were randomly assigned to either a group receiving enhanced counseling and support treatment or a group receiving usual care (control group). Caregivers in the enhanced treatment group were provided with six sessions of individual and family counseling, agreed to join support groups 4 months after enrollment, and received ongoing ad hoc counseling. The Geriatric Depression Scale was administered at baseline and at regular follow-up intervals for as long as the caregiver participated in the study.


RESULTS
After baseline differences were controlled for, caregivers in the enhanced treatment group had significantly fewer depressive symptoms after the intervention than did the control subjects. These effects were sustained for 3.1 years after baseline, similar across gender and patient severity level, and sustained after nursing home placement or death of the patient.


CONCLUSIONS
Counseling and support lead to sustained benefits in reducing depressive symptoms in spouse-caregivers of Alzheimer's disease patients and should be widely available to provide effective, evidence-based intervention for family caregivers.
Mittelman
Mary S
MS
Silberstein Institute for Aging and Dementia, Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, 550 First Ave., New York, NY 10016, USA. mary.mittelman@med.nyu.edu
Roth
David L
DL
Coon
David W
DW
Haley
William E
WE
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003376:Counseling; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006701:Home Nursing / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009735:Nursing Homes; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D012944:Social Support; D016896:Treatment Outcome