The Aging Brain ANSWERS Program

The Aging Brain ANSWERS Program: Veterans Living With Alzheimer's and Traumatic Brain Injury and Caregiver Burden

This study will test the effectiveness of an intervention for Veterans diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and the burden on their informal (family/friend) caregiver.

The majority of people with Alzheimer's (AD) and Traumatic brain Injury (TBI) are cared for in primary care settings and receive significant amounts of care and assistance in activities of daily living from family members or friends.

The ABC ANSWERS intervention will incorporate and integrate the common features of an evidence-based collaborative care model for brain care, while also attending to the implementation barriers of delivering care and skills to dyads of patients with AD and TBI and their family caregivers.

The study team will conduct a 1-year randomized control trial (RCT) designed to improve the Quality of Life (QoL) of Veterans with AD and TBI, and their family caregivers, and decrease their family caregivers' burden. The dyads in the intervention group will receive primary care plus ABC ANSWERS. The control group will receive primary care.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Veterans: 1)Diagnosis of AD or TBI 2) Receives Primary Care from Veterans Administration Medical Center (VAMC)
• Caregivers: 1) Primary caregiver (family or friend) of a Veteran with AD or TBI 2) Plans to provide care for 1 year or longer
• Both: 1) Over 18 years of age 2) Speak and understand English 3) access to telephone

Exclusion Criteria:

• Veterans: 1) Resides in nursing home or long term care facility 2) currently receiving care in GRACE clinic 3) Enrolled in ANSWERS-VA research study
• Caregivers: 1) Does not consider him/herself a caregiver for Veteran 2) Serious medical illness limiting ability to participate
• Both: Unable to contact within 10 calls Age < 18 years Either caregiver or Veteran denies that they have AD or a TBI Either the caregiver or Veteran does not want to participate Not fluent in the English language Difficulty hearing or talking by telephone Has a terminal illness (e.g., cancer, end of life condition with decreased life expectancy, renal failure requiring dialysis) History of hospitalization for alcohol or drug abuse History of severe mental illness (e.g., suicidal tendencies, severe untreated depression or bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia) Prisoner or on house arrest