An empowerment program for family caregivers of people with dementia

Family caregivers of people with dementia (PWD) often feel powerless and experience decreased well-being. Our aim was to develop an intervention program based on the caregiver empowerment model (CEM) and apply it with the Korean caregivers to evaluate its effects.

The study population comprised 115 family caregivers (experimental group, n = 35, control group 1, n = 40, control group 2, n = 40).

Using an experimental design with two control groups. The experimental group received a 12-week program including intensive counseling, education, and telephone calls. The control group 1 (CG1) received usual service. The control group 2 (CG2) was provided with a handbook during the first week. A mixed-effects model was used to clarify longitudinal changes in participants' outcomes.

The experimental group showed significantly increased caregiving appraisal (effect size in CG1 = -7.25; CG2 = -5.63), caregiving attitude (CG1 = -21.47; CG2 = -17.79), self-efficacy (CG1 = -12.42; CG2 = -10.12), and well-being (CG1 = -4.33; CG2 = -2.35) after the program.

The empowerment program can be used to promote family caregivers' positive adaptation and to help caregivers who care for PWD to effectively cope with their problems.