Abstract
Background: Caring for a family member with dementia is extremely stressful, and contributes to psychiatric and
physical illness among caregivers. Therefore, a comprehensive programme called Resources for Enhancing
Alzheimer’s Caregiver Health II (REACH II) was developed in the United States to enhance the health of Alzheimer’s
caregivers. REACH II causes a clear reduction of the stress and burdens faced by informal caregivers at home. The
aim of this protocol is to adapt, apply, and evaluate this proven intervention programme in a German-speaking area
for the first time. This newly adapted intervention is called Deutsche Adaption der Resources for Enhancing
Alzheimer’s Caregiver Health (DeREACH).
Methods: A total of 138 informal caregivers at home are recruited in a single-centred, randomised controlled trial.
The intervention (DeREACH) consists of nine home visits and three telephone contacts over six months, all of which
focus on safety, psychological well-being and self-care, social support, problem behaviour and preventive health-related
behaviours. A complex intervention assessment on effectiveness will be adopted when the primary outcome – namely,
the reduction of caregiver burden – and other secondary outcomes, including changes with regard to anxiety
and depression, somatisation, health-related quality of life, and perceived social support, are measured at baseline,
as well as immediately and three months after the intervention. The change from baseline to post-intervention
assessment with regard to the primary outcome will be compared between treatment and control group using
t-tests for independent samples.
Discussion: It is anticipated that this study will show that DeREACH effectively reduces caregiver burden and
therefore works under the conditions of a local German health-care system. If successful, this programme will
provide an effective intervention programme in the German-speaking area to identify and develop the personal
capabilities of informal caregivers to cope with the burdens of caring for people with dementia.
Trial registration: NCT01690117
Keywords: Dementia, REACH II, Intervention, Informal caregivers
AbstractBackground: Caring for a family member with dementia is extremely stressful, and contributes to psychiatric andphysical illness among caregivers. Therefore, a comprehensive programme called Resources for EnhancingAlzheimer’s Caregiver Health II (REACH II) was developed in the United States to enhance the health of Alzheimer’scaregivers. REACH II causes a clear reduction of the stress and burdens faced by informal caregivers at home. Theaim of this protocol is to adapt, apply, and evaluate this proven intervention programme in a German-speaking areafor the first time. This newly adapted intervention is called Deutsche Adaption der Resources for EnhancingAlzheimer’s Caregiver Health (DeREACH).Methods: A total of 138 informal caregivers at home are recruited in a single-centred, randomised controlled trial.The intervention (DeREACH) consists of nine home visits and three telephone contacts over six months, all of whichfocus on safety, psychological well-being and self-care, social support, problem behaviour and preventive health-relatedbehaviours. A complex intervention assessment on effectiveness will be adopted when the primary outcome – namely,the reduction of caregiver burden – and other secondary outcomes, including changes with regard to anxietyand depression, somatisation, health-related quality of life, and perceived social support, are measured at baseline,as well as immediately and three months after the intervention. The change from baseline to post-intervention
assessment with regard to the primary outcome will be compared between treatment and control group using
t-tests for independent samples.
Discussion: It is anticipated that this study will show that DeREACH effectively reduces caregiver burden and
therefore works under the conditions of a local German health-care system. If successful, this programme will
provide an effective intervention programme in the German-speaking area to identify and develop the personal
capabilities of informal caregivers to cope with the burdens of caring for people with dementia.
Trial registration: NCT01690117
Keywords: Dementia, REACH II, Intervention, Informal caregivers
การแปล กรุณารอสักครู่..
