Abstract
Abstract
Dementia caregiving is expensive, stressful, and consumes all facets of the caregiver’s (CGs) life. The purpose of this project is to introduce the evidence-based practice (EBP) interventions most helpful in decreasing stress and burden in those who are in-home caregivers for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) individuals.
The three primary intervention domains of the EBP studies that results in a positive impact are; providing education about the terminal course of the disease, introducing communication and caregiving skills, and furnishing resource and social network information.
The methodology included a convenient and voluntary population of CGs who sought service at a community dementia organization. The staffing team led by social workers, implemented the multi-component program over 1 – 2 months. Intervention sessions consisted of home safety assessments, legal and medical information, social support, managing stress, understanding caregiver feelings, skillful communications, relating memory problems to behavior, and additional resources helpful to the care of the dementia individual. A Risk Assessment Measure (RAM) tool was used to measure CG stress and burden level before and after all the interventions were complete.
Analysis of the data showed that the mean Pre-RAM score was 21.7, and the mean Post-RAM score was 12.6, a reduction of 9.1 points indicating an overall decrease in stress and burden. Further analysis was performed for significance level using a two-tailed hypothesis. The data concludes that educating the caregiver using a multi-component approach can reduce the stress and perceived burden of dementia caregiving. To ensure sustainability, the clinical site’s policy change is to offer the program to CGs who present with moderate to high levels of stress as measured by the RAM assessment. To monitor sustainability, an annual audit of the program will be submitted to the Board of Directors. The audit includes the number of participants and the analysis of RAM data.
Date of publication
Spring 4-24-2019
Document Type
DNP Scholarly Project
Language
english
Persistent identifier
http://hdl.handle.net/10950/1318
Committee members
Dr. Colleen Marzilli, PhD, DNP; Dr. Marci Lusk, DNP; Luanne Harms, LMSW
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Recommended Citation
Garmon, Cheryl, "A MULTI-COMPONENT EDUCATION, SKILL, AND RESOURCE EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE INTERVENTION FOR THE ALZHEIMER’S CAREGIVER" (2019). DNP Final Reports. Paper 5.
http://hdl.handle.net/10950/1318
Included in
Family Practice Nursing Commons, Geriatric Nursing Commons, Psychiatric and Mental Health Commons, Public Health and Community Nursing Commons, Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons