Translating the REACH OUT dementia caregiver intervention into a primary care setting: a pilot study

Area of Science:

• Geriatrics
• Primary Care Medicine
• Psychology

Background:

• Alzheimer's disease presents significant challenges for caregivers, leading to increased stress and burden.
• Existing interventions, like the REACH OUT program, offer skills-building but may not be readily accessible in primary care settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To adapt and pilot the Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer's Caregiver Health: Offering Useful Treatments (REACH OUT) program for primary care.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of the adapted intervention in reducing caregiver burden and improving caregiver well-being.

Main Methods:

• A 16-week intervention combining group and one-on-one sessions was delivered in a primary care/geriatrics clinic.
• A quasi-experimental pre- and post-test design without a control group was employed.
• Semi-structured qualitative exit interviews assessed program satisfaction.

Main Results:

• Caregiver burden, including physical/emotional strain and uncertainty, significantly decreased post-intervention.
• Caregivers reported increased confidence in managing disruptive behaviors and memory problems.
• Reductions were observed in disruptive behaviors, caregiver depressive symptoms, and bother from behavioral issues.

Conclusions:

• The adapted REACH OUT program is feasible and effective in a primary care medical home setting.
• This intervention successfully reduced caregiver burden and improved key aspects of well-being for Alzheimer's caregivers.