Longitudinal Effects of Activities, Social Environment, and Psychotropic Medication Use on Behavioral Symptoms of Individuals With Alzheimer's Disease in Nursing Homes.

A secondary data analysis of 25,560 minutes of structured clinical observations from a longitudinal study examined the impact of time-varying background factors, social environment, and psychotropic medication use on behavioral symptoms of nursing home residents with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Data were collected at baseline (N = 177), 12 months (N = 138), and 24 months (N = 111). Mixed-effects regression modeling showed that at 24 months: (a) higher cognitive and physical function and having a private bedroom/bathroom had the most positive influence on resident positive behaviors; (b) use of antipsychotic medications and solitary activities had the most negative influence on resident positive behaviors; (c) higher cognitive function significantly decreased negative behaviors; and (d) care-related activities and total number of psychotropic medications significantly increased negative behaviors.

Comparing the Effect of a Moderate Physical Activity Intervention on the Mental Health Outcomes of African American and Caucasian Dementia Family Caregivers: A Secondary Data Analysis.

Increased attention to the effects of the stressful demands of caregiving on the mental health of dementia caregivers has resulted in the development of numerous interventions. The current study is a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial that tested a 12-month moderate physical activity intervention with dementia caregivers. Our secondary data analysis examined racial differences in caregiver mental health outcomes including subjective burden, depressive symptoms, and positive affect, as well as differences in physical activity.

Effect of Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity Intervention on Improving Dementia Family Caregiver Physical Function: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) affect more than five million Americans and their family caregivers. Caregiving creates challenges, may contribute to decreased caregiver health and is associated with $9.7 billion of caregiver health care costs.

Racial Differences in Program Evaluation of a Lifestyle Physical Activity Randomized Controlled Trial.

The purpose of this study was to compare program evaluation responses between African American and Caucasian caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias who completed a lifestyle physical activity randomized controlled trial. The aim was to determine if African Americans evaluated the study differently than Caucasians. Family caregivers (N = 211) were randomly assigned to a 12-month physical activity intervention or a control condition.

Impact of an Individualized Physical Activity Intervention on Improving Mental Health Outcomes in Family Caregivers of Persons with Dementia: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose: This study examined secondary benefits of an individualized physical activity intervention on improving dementia family caregivers' subjective burden, depressive symptoms and positive affect.

Design And Methods: A community-based randomized controlled trial (RCT) was implemented with family caregivers of persons with dementia (N = 211) who received the Enhanced Physical Activity Intervention (EPAI: treatment intervention, n = 106) or the Caregiver Skill Building Intervention (CSBI: control intervention, n = 105). Interventions were delivered over 12 months, including a baseline home visit and regularly spaced telephone calls.

Demographic and Socioenvironmental Characteristics of Black and White Community-Dwelling Caregivers and Care Recipients' Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia.

The purpose of the current study was to compare the association between caregiver background characteristics and care recipients' behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in Black and White community-dwelling family caregivers. Using logistic regression models, caregiver/care recipient dyad data from the Aging Demographics and Memory Study were used to describe associations between caregiver background characteristics (i.e.

Preliminary study of themes of meaning and psychosocial service use among informal cancer caregivers.

Objective: The burden experienced by informal caregivers (ICs) of patients with advanced cancer is well documented. ICs are at risk for anxiety and depression, as well as existential concerns that arise when a loved one is facing a terminal illness. Few psychosocial interventions focus on existential concerns of ICs.

Recruitment and enrollment of caregivers for a lifestyle physical activity clinical trial.

This article presents the efficacy of the recruitment framework used for a clinical trial with sedentary family caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease. An integrated social marketing approach with principles of community-based participatory research provided the theoretical framework for organizing recruitment activities. This multi-pronged approach meant that caregivers were identified from a range of geographic locations and numerous sources including a federally funded Alzheimer's disease center, health care providers, community based and senior organizations, and broad-based media.

Assessing family caregiver skill in managing behavioral symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.

Objectives: This measurement study operationalized family caregiver skill in managing behavioral symptoms associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) by testing a Caregiver Assessment of Behavioral Skill-Self-Report (CAB-SR) measure.

Method: A cross-sectional design was used. Caregivers had a family member with possible/probable AD, resided at home with the care recipient and provided the majority of care (N = 82).

Relationship between system-level characteristics of assisted living facilities and the health and safety of unlicensed staff.

This study examined system-level characteristics of assisted living facilities and the association between these characteristics and the health and safety outcomes of unlicensed staff. Forty-two unlicensed direct care workers completed a survey related to system-level stressors and the individual stress responses of staff. Measurement tools included the Work Stressor Inventory (WSI), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), and Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI).

Role of technology in supporting quality control and treatment fidelity in a family caregiver clinical trial.

This article describes how a family caregiver lifestyle physical activity clinical trial uses research technology to enhance quality control and treatment fidelity. This trial uses a range of Internet, Blaise(®) Windows-based software and Echo Server technologies to support quality control issues, such as data collection, data entry, and study management advocated by the clinical trials literature, and to ensure treatment fidelity concerning intervention implementation (i.e.

Creative partnerships for funding nursing research.

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and the Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) program are two federal funding mechanisms that some nurses in academic positions have used to support research and development of innovative nursing products or services. Both the SBIR and STTR mechanisms are excellent sources of funding for nurse researchers who want to capitalize on relationships with small businesses or obtain seed money to fund high-risk projects with potential to attract new venture capital. This article provides an overview of National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded SBIR and STTR programs and summarizes similarities and differences between the programs.

Developing a Measurement Strategy for Assessing Family Caregiver Skills: Conceptual Issues.

This report presents a conceptual approach to assessing skills of family caregivers for persons with Alzheimer's disease and recommends next steps for development of this science. Researchers used multiple methods to develop a conceptual strategy for assessing family caregiver skills. Study participants included clinical/outreach staff from an Alzheimer's Disease Center, nursing faculty with expertise in dementia care, and family caregivers.

Content validity and satisfaction with a stroke caregiver intervention program.

Background And Purpose: Establishing evidence of content validity and satisfaction is an integral part of intervention research. The purpose of this article is to describe content validity and satisfaction relative to the Telephone Assessment and Skill-Building Kit (TASK), an 8-week follow-up program based on individualized assessment of stroke caregiver needs.

Design And Methods: The TASK intervention enables caregivers to develop skills based on assessment of their own needs.

Staff training in assisted living: evaluating treatment fidelity.

Objectives: To investigate a protocol for identifying and evaluating treatment fidelity in Staff Training in Assisted-living Residences (STAR), a structured but flexible program to train direct care staff to improve care of residents with dementia.

Design: Multisite feasibility trial.

Setting: Assisted living facilities (ALFs).

Stroke caregiver outcomes from the Telephone Assessment and Skill-Building Kit (TASK).

Purpose: Stroke caregivers often express the need for information about stroke and assistance with stroke-related care in the early discharge period. The Telephone Assessment and Skill-Building Kit (TASK) is an 8-week program that addresses caregiver needs. This study explored the efficacy of the TASK program in improving stroke caregiver outcomes.

Improving dementia care in assisted living residences: addressing staff reactions to training.

More than 1 million older adults, many with significant cognitive impairment, receive care in assisted living residences (ALRs), and their numbers are increasing. Despite this, ALR staff are often inadequately trained to manage the complex emotional, behavioral, and functional impairments characteristic of these residents. Nurses are in a unique position to improve this situation by training and supervising ALR staff.

A lifestyle physical activity intervention for caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease.

Background: The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the effects of lifestyle physical activity in caregivers (CGs) of persons with Alzheimer's disease.

Methods: Fifteen CGs engaged in lifestyle physical activity during a 6-month, home-based health promotion program. Mean changes in self-reported physical activity were compared using repeated-measures analysis of variance.

Efficacy of behavioral interventions for dementia caregivers.

Behavioral symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, particularly agitation, appear to be a major contributing factor to the emotional distress exhibited by family caregivers. Psychosocial interventions have been shown to reduce caregiver emotional distress, but few studies have examined the efficacy of these interventions with caregivers exposed to high levels of dementia-related behavioral symptoms. The purpose of this study is to test the efficacy of a caregiver skill building intervention in reducing emotional distress to agitated behaviors of care recipients.

Psychometric testing of the revised 15-item Bakas Caregiving Outcomes Scale.

Background: Family caregivers of stroke survivors experience a variety of negative social, emotional, and health-related outcomes as a result of providing care.

Objectives: : To psychometrically test the revised 15-item Bakas Caregiving Outcomes Scale (BCOS) measuring life changes specifically resulting from providing care. The original 10-item BCOS was improved by adding five items addressing financial well-being, level of energy, role functioning, physical functioning, and general health.

Writing with a collaborative team.

As the science of rehabilitation moves forward, the need to actively participate on a collaborative research team increases. Rehabilitation involves many different disciplines--for example, nursing, medicine, psychology, physical therapy, social work, and epidemiology-that affect the care of persons of all ages with a variety of different clinical needs. Each discipline adds a particular perspective to research questions, clinical situations, and eventually to professional publications.

A review of spiritual and religious measures in nursing research journals: 1995-1999.

Background: A series of systematic reviews has revealed relatively high levels of interest in religion and spirituality in different nursing specialties, but not in general nursing research journals.

Purpose: To identify the extent to which spirituality and religiousness were measured in all quantitative and qualitative research articles published in Research in Nursing and Health, Nursing Research, Advances in Nursing Science (ANS), and Image: The Journal of Nursing Scholarship from 1995 to 1999.

Methods: A full-text search was conducted of ANS and Image using the Ovid search system.