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The savvy caregiver program: developing and testing a transportable dementia family caregiver training program
Kenneth W Hepburn1, Marsha Lewis, Carey Wexler Sherman
1School of Nursing, 6-169 Weaver-Densford Hall, University of Minnesota, 308 Harvard St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. hepbu001@umn.edu
The Gerontologist
|January 6, 2004
Summary
The Savvy Caregiver Program successfully transformed an academic psychoeducational intervention into a widely adoptable format. Field testing showed improved caregiver skills, knowledge, confidence, and well-being.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Caregiver burden is a significant issue impacting well-being.
- Psychoeducational programs can mitigate caregiver stress.
- Translating research-based interventions into scalable formats is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and field-test the Savvy Caregiver Program, a replicable psychoeducational intervention.
- To adapt an academic caregiver program into a self-contained, adoptable package.
- To assess the feasibility of disseminating caregiver support programs.
Main Methods:
- Iterative development of a 12-hour caregiver course based on initial trials.
- Field testing in diverse rural and remote locations (Minnesota, Colorado, Alaska).
- Evaluation using participant feedback and standardized caregiver well-being scales.
Main Results:
- High participant satisfaction, reporting increased skills, knowledge, and confidence.
- Significant improvements in caregiver well-being, including reduced burden and "total reaction" scores.
- All participants recommended the program to other family caregivers.
Conclusions:
- The Savvy Caregiver Program is a feasible and effective model for caregiver support.
- Research-based caregiver interventions can be successfully translated for broader adoption.
- The packaged program can be implemented without direct involvement of the original developers.