Pilot study of a brief behavioral sleep intervention for caregivers of individuals with dementia

Informal caregivers of individuals with dementia experience higher rates of poor sleep quality and depression than the general population. Short-term behavioral interventions have been shown to improve sleep quality in other caregiver populations. The purposes of this study were to determine the feasibility of the CAregiver Sleep Intervention (CASI) in a small sample of caregivers of both community-dwelling and institutionalized individuals with dementia. The caregivers were given CASI, a 5-week behavioral sleep intervention combining relaxation, stimulus control, and sleep hygiene with personal goal setting, delivered at the caregiver's convenience. Caregivers reported no increased burden with CASI. The intervention was well received, and sleep quality and depression trended toward improvement. CASI appears to be feasible and beneficial in this small sample and warrants further study in caregivers of individuals with dementia.