Negotiation Training for Caregiver Communication in AD

Negotiation Training to Optimize Caregiver Communication in Alzheimer's Disease

The purpose of this study is to design a Negotiation and Dispute Resolution (NDR) training intervention to improve communication and address resolution of conflicts that family caregivers of patients with cognitive impairment and/or Alzheimer's Disease (AD) frequently experience.

The goal of this study is to design a Negotiation and Dispute Resolution (NDR) training intervention to improve communication and address resolution of conflicts that family caregivers of patients with cognitive impairment and/or Alzheimer's Disease (AD) frequently experience. Specifically this study will:

Aim 1: Employ a caregiver (user)-centered design approach to modify and tailor a negotiations and dispute resolution (NDR) training intervention to support communication skills of family caregivers of adults with AD.

Aim 2: Utilizing Multiphase Optimization Strategy (MOST), conduct a randomized controlled trial of the NDR intervention that targets better communication between caregivers and health teams to determine the feasibility of delivering the intervention, and derive estimates of the effect of 3 intervention components on changes in patient-centered outcomes at post-intervention and follow-up.

Exploratory Aim 3: Explore if intervention components (lectures/exercises) interact to change communication between caregivers and health care teams at post-intervention and follow-up.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Speak/read English;
• Currently provide care-giving support (e.g. emotional, social, physical, task-related) to an adult over the age of 65;
• Currently provide care-giving support at least 1 hour per week (e.g. may include grocery shopping, scheduling appointments, and transportation);
• Currently involved in any decision-making related to the healthcare and support of this adult over the age of 65;
• Score >2 on the 8-item Informant Interview to Differentiate Aging and Dementia (AD8);
• Access to and the ability to use the internet to complete a series of online activities; and
• Have a valid email address or the willingness to create one to access during the study

Exclusion Criteria:

• Less than 21 years old
• Unable to speak and read English