ORIGINAL ARTICLE
The effect of structured education and phone follow-up on moderate stage Alzheimer's disease caregiving: Outcomes for patient and caregivers
Munevver Ozcan,
Imatullah Akyar,
Munevver Ozcan
Faculty of Health Sciences, Yozgat Bozok University, Yozgat, Turkey
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Imatullah Akyar
Faculty of Nursing, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
Correspondence
İmatullah Akyar, Hacettepe University Faculty of Nursing, Adnan Saygun Street, D Block, 2nd Floor, Office No: 33-16, Sihhiye, Ankara, Turkey.
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorMunevver Ozcan,
Imatullah Akyar,
Munevver Ozcan
Faculty of Health Sciences, Yozgat Bozok University, Yozgat, Turkey
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Imatullah Akyar
Faculty of Nursing, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
Correspondence
İmatullah Akyar, Hacettepe University Faculty of Nursing, Adnan Saygun Street, D Block, 2nd Floor, Office No: 33-16, Sihhiye, Ankara, Turkey.
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorFirst published: 30 November 2023
Abstract
Aim
To determine the effectiveness of a caregiver education (needs tailored) and telephone follow-up intervention for caregivers of people with moderate stage Alzheimer's disease on caregiver burden, caregiving impact on life, and patients' neuropsychiatric symptoms, dependence on activities of daily living.
Methods
This quasi-experimental study sampled caregivers of people with moderate stage Alzheimer's. Caregivers in the intervention group received education and telephone follow-up over 12 weeks, while the control group received routine care. Caregivers were assessed for burden, changes in life, and patients for neuropsychiatric symptoms, and dependence on daily living activities.
Results
The caregiver burden, life changes, distress, and patients' neuropsychiatric symptom scores showed apparent trend toward betterment, but no statistically significant differences were found in study outcomes between the two groups (P > .05).
Conclusion
The caregiver need-based, structured education and telephone follow-up intervention was not empirically effective. With the promising effect from this study, managing behavioral symptoms with need-based, structured, and skill-oriented training has the potential to alleviate the burden on caregivers.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT
The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest.
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