This study will test the preliminary efficacy of a joint patient/informal caregiver telephone-delivered intervention that includes diabetes education; problem solving around social needs; and behavioral activation for older African Americans with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes by randomizing 100 patient/caregiver dyads to the Joint Home intervention (n=50) and usual care (n=50) arms.

The aims of the study are:

Aim 1: To test the preliminary efficacy of home-based, joint patient and caregiver intervention (Joint Home-DM-BAT) on patient clinical outcomes (hemoglobin A1c, blood pressure, and LDL-Cholesterol).

Aim 2: To test the preliminary efficacy of home-based, joint patient and caregiver intervention (Joint Home-DM-BAT) Joint Home DM-BAT on patient quality of life.

Aim 3: To test the preliminary efficacy of home-based, joint patient and caregiver intervention (Joint Home-DM-BAT) on caregiver quality of life and caregiver burden.

Patient Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age ≥50 years of age;
2. Self-identified as Black/African American;
3. Clinical diagnosis of T2DM and poorly controlled, defined as HbA1c ≥8% at the screening visit;
4. Able to communicate in English; and
5. Has an informal caregiver (family member or close friend willing to participate in the study for 6 months.

Caregiver Inclusion Criteria:

1. Willing to attend 4, one-hour sessions with the study participant;
2. Willing to support the study participant for study duration (6 months); and
3. Willing to complete brief baseline, 3- and 6-month assessments.

Patient/Caregiver Exclusion Criteria:

1. Mental confusion at screening assessment suggesting significant dementia;
2. Alcohol or drug abuse/dependency at screening assessment;
3. Active psychosis or acute mental disorder at screening assessment; and
4. Life expectancy <6 months at screening.