| HOME | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|---|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Correspondence: Address correspondence to Diane Feeney Mahoney, PhD, Director of Family Caregiving Technology Research and Development, Hebrew Rehabilitation Center for Aged, Research and Training Institute, 1200 Centre Street, Boston, MA 02131-1097. E-mail: Mahoney{at}mail.hrca.harvard.edu
Purpose: We determine the main outcome effects of a 12-month computer-mediated automated interactive voice response (IVR) intervention designed to assist family caregivers managing persons with disruptive behaviors related to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Design and Methods: We conducted a randomized controlled study of 100 caregivers, 51 in the usual care control group and 49 in the technology intervention group, who received yearlong access to an IVR-mediated system. The system provided caregiver stress monitoring and counseling information, personal voice-mail linkage to AD experts, a voice-mail telephone support group, and a distraction call for care recipients. We conducted analyses by using a repeated measures approach for longitudinal data and an intention-to-treat analytic approach. Outcomes included the caregiver's appraisal of the bothersome nature of caregiving, anxiety, depression, and mastery at baseline, 6, 12, and 18 months. Results: There was a significant intervention effect as hypothesized for participants with lower mastery at baseline on all three outcomes: bother (p =.04), anxiety (p =.01), and depression (p =.007). Additionally, wives exhibited a significant intervention effect in the reduction of the bothersome nature of caregiving (p =.02). Implications: Wives who exhibited low mastery and high anxiety benefited the most from the automated telecare intervention. Findings suggest that, to optimize outcome effects, similar interventions should be tailored to match the users' characteristics and preferences.
Key Words: Caregiving • Dementia • Telecommunications • Interactive voice response systems
This article has been cited by other articles:
 |
|
 |
|
  S. Dang, N. Remon, J. Harris, J. Malphurs, L. Sandals, A. L. Cabrera, and N. Nedd Care coordination assisted by technology for multiethnic caregivers of persons with dementia: a pilot clinical demonstration project on caregiver burden and depression J Telemed Telecare, December 1, 2008; 14(8): 443 - 447. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. Devor and M. Renvall An Educational Intervention to Support Caregivers of Elders With Dementia American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias, June 1, 2008; 23(3): 233 - 241. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. Powell, T. Chiu, and G. Eysenbach A systematic review of networked technologies supporting carers of people with dementia J Telemed Telecare, April 1, 2008; 14(3): 154 - 156. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 E. Hanson, L. Magnusson, H. Arvidsson, A. Claesson, J. Keady, and M. Nolan Working together with persons with early stage dementia and their family members to design a user-friendly technology-based support service Dementia, August 1, 2007; 6(3): 411 - 434. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 K. A. Smyth, J. H. Rose, M. J. McClendon, and M. A. Lambrix Relationships Among Caregivers' Demographic Characteristics, Social Support Ratings, and Expectations of Computer-Mediated Support Groups Journal of Applied Gerontology, February 1, 2007; 26(1): 58 - 77. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 T. L. Smith and R. W. Toseland The effectiveness of a telephone support program for caregivers of frail older adults. Gerontologist, October 1, 2006; 46(5): 620 - 629. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. L. Bank, S. Arguelles, M. Rubert, C. Eisdorfer, and S. J. Czaja The Value of Telephone Support Groups Among Ethnically Diverse Caregivers of Persons With Dementia Gerontologist, February 1, 2006; 46(1): 134 - 138. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
N. Beauchamp, A. B. Irvine, J. Seeley, and B. Johnson Worksite-Based Internet Multimedia Program for Family Caregivers of Persons With Dementia Gerontologist, December 1, 2005; 45(6): 793 - 801. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 B. J. Tarlow and D. F. Mahoney Parity in computer-based health education: designing culturally relevant Alzheimer's disease information Health Informatics Journal, September 1, 2005; 11(3): 211 - 224. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. M. Kinney, C. S. Kart, L. D. Murdoch, and C. J. Conley Striving to Provide Safety Assistance for Families of Elders: The SAFE House Project Dementia, October 1, 2004; 3(3): 351 - 370. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. Schulz, L. Burgio, R. Burns, C. Eisdorfer, D. Gallagher-Thompson, L. N. Gitlin, and D. F. Mahoney Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer's Caregiver Health (REACH): Overview, Site-Specific Outcomes, and Future Directions Gerontologist, August 1, 2003; 43(4): 514 - 520. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
| HOME | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|---|
