Social problem-solving partnerships with family caregivers

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Nursing
• Psychology

Background:

• Family caregivers of stroke survivors face significant challenges managing caregiving demands.
• Social problem-solving skills are crucial for effective caregiving and caregiver well-being.
• Intervention delivery methods may impact the effectiveness of support for family caregivers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of home-based versus telephone-based social problem-solving (SPS) interventions for primary family caregivers of stroke survivors.
• To identify caregiver and stroke survivor characteristics that may influence intervention outcomes.
• To evaluate the impact of SPS interventions on caregiver depression, problem-solving skills, and preparedness.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study involving 30 primary family caregivers of stroke survivors.
• Caregivers were randomized into three groups: home visit intervention, telephone contact intervention, or control group.
• A registered nurse delivered a 12-week SPS skills training program via seven telephone calls or home visits.

Main Results:

• The telephone intervention group demonstrated significant reductions in depression and enhanced problem-solving skills and caregiver preparedness during the intervention period.
• Compared to the home visit and control groups, the telephone group showed greater improvements in these outcomes.
• Post-intervention, depression, problem-solving, and preparedness scores improved in the telephone group, though not reaching statistical significance.

Conclusions:

• Telephone-delivered social problem-solving interventions show promise for supporting family caregivers of stroke survivors.
• This delivery method may be particularly effective in reducing caregiver depression and enhancing preparedness.
• Caregiver and survivor characteristics, including race, age, and education, can influence outcomes and warrant further investigation.