Powerful Tools for Caregivers of Dementia Patients

Optimization of "Powerful Tools for Caregivers" of Dementia Patients

The purpose of this study is to examine if a psycho-educational intervention for caregivers of patients with dementia will decrease caregiver burden, increase caregiver physical activity, and decrease the reporting of behavioral and psychological symptoms of the person with dementia.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Caregiver lives with or provides care for the care recipient for an average of at least 4 hours per day.
• Care for an individual with a physician diagnosis of dementia (mild to moderate stage of dementia).
• Care for a care recipient who experiences behavioral symptoms that bother or upset the caregiver moderately, very much, or extremely. The occurrence of problematic behaviors and caregivers' reactions will be assessed with 6-items adapted from the Revised Memory and Behavior Problems Checklist (Teri et al 1992).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Care for a care recipient who is bed-bound or has advanced dementia: Functional Assessment Staging (FAST)(Sclan & Reisberg 1992) stage 7.
• Caregiver's cognitive, hearing, visual, or other physical impairments lead to difficulty with informed consent process, assessment, or participation in the intervention.
• Caregiver who is involved in another trial that addresses caregiver burden or behavioral expressions.