International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 18(4), April 2003, pp.337-345.
Publisher:
Wiley
... training programme, and the control group (n = 24) received only written educational materials. The Chinese version of Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI), community form, was used to measure the behavioural problems of patients with dementia. The caregiver's self-efficacy, for managing the demented person's agitation, was measured by the Agitation Management Self-efficacy Scale (AMSS). The CMAI group and differed significantly from the changed scores from those in the control group (p < 0.05). Physically aggressive behaviours showed a decreasing trend for both groups. Scores of the Agitation Management Self-Efficacy Scale and its subscales increased significantly and continuously in the experimental group in comparison to those in the control group (p < 0.05). This home-based caregiver
The purpose of this article was to investigate the effectiveness of a home-based caregiver training programme for caregivers of elders with dementia and behavioural problems. A prospective study was conducted in the communities of Northern Taiwan. Forty-eight patients with dementia and their family caregivers were included. The experimental group (n = 24) received a two-session in-home caregiver training programme, and the control group (n = 24) received only written educational materials. The Chinese version of Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI), community form, was used to measure the behavioural problems of patients with dementia. The caregiver's self-efficacy, for managing the demented person's agitation, was measured by the Agitation Management Self-efficacy Scale (AMSS). The CMAI and AMSS were administered before (baseline), three weeks (1st post-test), and three months (2nd post-test) after the two-session training programme. Except for the physically aggressive behaviour subscale, the scores of physically non-aggressive behaviour, verbally aggressive and non-aggressive behaviour subscales as well as the overall CMAI decreased significantly and continuously in the experimental group and differed significantly from the changed scores from those in the control group (p < 0.05). Physically aggressive behaviours showed a decreasing trend for both groups. Scores of the Agitation Management Self-Efficacy Scale and its subscales increased significantly and continuously in the experimental group in comparison to those in the control group (p < 0.05). This home-based caregiver training programme is helpful for decreasing problematic behaviours of elder people with dementia and it improves the caregiver's self-efficacy for managing problematic behaviours.
Subject terms:
home care, older people, research methods, training, aggression, carers, challenging behaviour, conduct disorders, dementia, diagnostic tests, agitation;