Application of a Telephone Program for Informal Caregivers of Patients with Bipolar Disease

Background/Objectives: Family caregivers of individuals with bipolar disorder (BD) experience substantial burden, yet scalable caregiver-focused supports are scarce. This pilot study tested a nurse-led telephone program to evaluate feasibility and acceptability and to explore perceived impacts on caregiver burden, coping, and well-being. Methods: A descriptive pilot case study was conducted in an adult psychiatric inpatient unit in Portugal. Six informal caregivers of inpatients with BD completed a structured six-call protocol over approximately 6-8 weeks. Results: Overall, 6 caregivers completed the full cycle, totaling 36 sessions (6 assessment, 18 psychoeducational, 6 psychosocial, and 6 evaluation sessions). Thematic analysis identified four recurrent themes: (1) embracing the caregiver role-recognizing personal needs and legitimizing help-seeking; (2) patience and understanding-adopting emotion-regulation strategies; (3) self-reflection on personal strengths-increased self-efficacy and acknowledgment of persistence, empathy, and resilience; and (4) fostering hope and resilience-expressing future-oriented goals consolidated in a personalized "hope kit." Conclusions: A brief, protocolized, nurse-delivered telephone program for caregivers of inpatients with BD was both feasible and acceptable, producing meaningful qualitative benefits consistent with the aims of psychoeducation (knowledge acquisition, coping, and emotional regulation). Findings support the use of telephone support as a pragmatic complement to standard BD care and justify larger controlled studies to quantify effects on caregiver burden, mood, and resilience, and to compare telephone, in-person, and blended delivery models.