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An intervention study with husband and wife carers of older people with a psychiatric illness
J Murray1, M Manela, A Shuttleworth
1Section of Epidemiology and General Practice, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK.
Background:
Individual packages of care were devised for spouses of older people with psychiatric illness.
Method:
Randomised controlled trial with blind follow up. Intervention group members were offered multidisciplinary packages while controls received no extra help. Both groups were reassessed 12-14 weeks later. The initial control group then received intervention; both were reassessed at 24-28 weeks.
Results:
Although no significant differences emerged in group mean scores for affective illness or social difficulties, carers who were mentally ill at outset improved significantly.
Conclusion:
Interventions targeted at caregiving spouses with affective disorder are acceptable and efficacious.
Limitation:
It was impossible to compare treatment with no treatment.