Randomized Trial of the Family Intervention: Telephone Tracking-Caregiver for Dementia Caregivers: Use of Community and Healthcare Resources.

Objectives: To examine the effects of a telephone-delivered intervention, Family Intervention: Telephone Tracking-Caregiver (FITT-C), on community support and healthcare use by dementia caregivers.

Design: Randomized, controlled trial.

Setting: Academic medical center.

Psychosocial telephone intervention for dementia caregivers: A randomized, controlled trial.

Background: Identifying effective and accessible interventions for dementia caregivers is critical as dementia prevalence increases.

Objective: Examine the effects of a telephone-based intervention on caregiver well-being.

Design: Randomized, controlled trial.

Family Intervention: Telephone Tracking (FITT): a pilot stroke outcome study.

Objective: The goal of this study was to preliminarily test the efficacy of a telephone intervention, Family Intervention: Telephone Tracking, designed to assist stroke survivors and their primary caregivers during the first 6 months after stroke.

Method: Forty-nine stroke survivors and their caregivers were randomly assigned to treatment as usual or treatment as usual plus the telephone intervention. Global outcomes are reported for health care utilization, family functioning, and general functioning.

The YOU CALL-WE CALL randomized clinical trial: Impact of a multimodal support intervention after a mild stroke.

Background: Comparison of a multimodal intervention WE CALL (study initiated phone support/information provision) versus a passive intervention YOU CALL (participant can contact a resource person) in individuals with first mild stroke.

Methods And Results: This study is a single-blinded randomized clinical trial. Primary outcome includes unplanned use of health services (participant diaries) for adverse events and quality of life (Euroquol-5D, Quality of Life Index).

A telephone intervention for dementia caregivers: background, design, and baseline characteristics.

Family caregivers of individuals with dementia are at heightened risk for emotional and mental health problems. Many caregivers do not seek assistance or become isolated in their caregiving role. Multi-component interventions have demonstrated efficacy for reducing emotional distress and burden, although these approaches are potentially costly and are not widely accessible.

A telephone-delivered psychosocial intervention improves dementia caregiver adjustment following nursing home placement.

Objective: Study the preliminary efficacy of a telephone intervention, Family Intervention: Telephone Tracking-Nursing Home (FITT-NH) for improving dementia caregivers' adjustment following nursing home placement.

Methods: Caregivers were enrolled on average 6 weeks following the care-recipients' placement in a nursing home. Baseline assessment included self-report measures of caregiver emotional functioning, staff-caregiver interactions, placement satisfaction, health-related quality of life, and social support.

Study protocol of the YOU CALL--WE CALL TRIAL: impact of a multimodal support intervention after a "mild" stroke.

Background: More than 60% of new strokes each year are "mild" in severity and this proportion is expected to rise in the years to come. Within our current health care system those with "mild" stroke are typically discharged home within days, without further referral to health or rehabilitation services other than advice to see their family physician. Those with mild stroke often have limited access to support from health professionals with stroke-specific knowledge who would typically provide critical information on topics such as secondary stroke prevention, community reintegration, medication counselling and problem solving with regard to specific concerns that arise.

Family functioning is associated with depressive symptoms in caregivers of acute stroke survivors.

Objective: To determine whether family functioning is uniquely associated with caregiver depressive symptoms in the immediate aftermath of stroke.

Design: Cross-sectional data from the baseline assessment of an intervention study for stroke survivors and their families.

Setting: Neurology inpatient service of a large urban hospital.

Telephone-Delivered Psychosocial Intervention Reduces Burden in Dementia Caregivers.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the preliminary efficacy of Family Intervention: Telephone Tracking-Dementia (FITT-D), a multi-component intervention that is delivered in 23 telephone contacts over 12 months. METHOD: Thirty-three dementia caregivers were randomly assigned to receive either FITT-D (n =16) or standard care (n =17) using urn randomization to balance the groups on dementia severity, caregiver gender, and relationship type (spouse versus other). Inclusion criteria included formal dementia diagnosis, caregiving for at least 6 months, residing with the care recipient, and providing at least 4 hours of direct supervision per day.

Coping and burden among informal HIV caregivers.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the role of coping on caregiver burden among a heterogeneous group of caregivers of persons living with HIV during the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy.

Methods: Burden and coping were examined among 176 caregivers of persons living with HIV. Three styles of coping were examined using a 7-item scale: active-approach (task), blame-withdrawal (emotion), and distancing (avoidance).

A telephone-based intervention for depression in HIV patients: negative results from a randomized clinical trial.

To determine if a telephone support behavioral intervention improves depressive symptoms among HIV positive outpatients, we enrolled 177 persons with Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores scores of >/=10. Participants were randomized to receive up to 12 scheduled psycho-educational calls over 6 months or to an assessment-only control condition. Co-enrolled informal caregivers of HIV patients received the same telephone intervention in parallel.

Unique contribution of family functioning in caregivers of patients with mild to moderate dementia.

The relationship between family functioning and dementia caregiving is complex. The present study examined the interrelationships between family functioning, caregiver burden, and patient characteristics. Participants were 72 live-in, family caregivers of patients with mild (n = 47) or moderate dementia (n = 25).

Caregiver burden and depression among informal caregivers of HIV-infected individuals.

Background: Few studies have examined the factors associated with depression in informal caregivers of HIV-infected persons.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between depression and caregiver burden among informal caregivers of HIV-infected individuals.

Design: Cross-sectional study using baseline data from an ongoing randomized trial of a supportive telephone intervention.

Psychopharmacology and stroke.

The use of psychopharmacology for stroke patients requires careful attention to diagnosis, selection of medications for a particular use and avoidance of specific actions that interfere with recovery and function, and careful monitoring for results and side effects. Any given psychotropic medication may be used to treat a number of psychiatric and other problems. This review focuses on specific clinical implications for the use of antipsychotic, antidepressant, psychostimulant, antimanic, anxiolytic, and other selected agents in stroke.

Psychobehavioral problems other than depression in stroke.

With the exception of depression and cognitive changes, there has been relatively little attention paid to psychiatric disorders or to psychosocial and behavioral changes that may present after stroke. This article addresses that deficiency by reviewing psychiatric symptoms and syndromes and other psychosocial and behavioral problems that may present in the stroke survivor: mood disorders other than unipolar depression, anxiety and adjustment disorders, substance abuse, sexual dysfunction, sleep disturbance, organic mental disorders, and behavioral problems. The special concerns and functional impact these presentations have in the stroke population are discussed along with diagnostic and treatment options.

Depression and stroke.

Depression in stroke patients was observed many years ago but only recently has become the subject of systematic study. While estimates of depression vary, some have noted its occurrence in more than half of stroke patients. Our understanding of depression has been facilitated by refinements in diagnostic categories, analysis of contributing factors including the biology of depression, and refinements in evaluation to include cognitive and linguistic impairments that are common after stroke.

Families and stroke: The clinical implications of research findings.

Clinical and research attention to stroke care has focused on managing the acute stage of recovery and on evaluating the short-term effectiveness of rehabilitation programs. However, studies suggest that stroke affects the quality of life and the well-being of the entire family over much longer time frames. This article reviews the stroke literature as it relates to stroke rehabilitation and the family.