Supporting caregivers of frail older adults in an HMO setting.
The long-term effectiveness of a structured health education program (HEP) for spouses and frail older adults was evaluated in a staff model health maintenance organization (HMO). HEP is a multicomponent group program that includes emotion-focused and problem-focused coping strategies, education, and support. For caregivers, HEP was more effective than usual care (UC) in reducing depression, increasing knowledge of community services and how to access them, and changing caregivers' feelings of competence and the way they respond to the caregiving situation. For care recipients, HEP was more effective than UC in preventing increases in somatic symptoms and symptoms of anxiety/insomnia. ((c) 2004 APA, all rights reserved)
University at Albany, State University of New York, Institute of Gerontology, School of Social Welfare, Albany, NY 12222, USA. toseland@albany.edu
Ronald W
RW
Toseland
Philip
P
McCallion
Tamara
T
Smith
Steve
S
Banks
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D006266:Health Education; D006279:Health Maintenance Organizations; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011340:Problem Solving; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D018454:Spouses