Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer's Caregiver Health (REACH II), 2001-2004

Built upon the findings of RESOURCES FOR ENHANCING
ALZHEIMER'S CAREGIVER HEALTH, 1996-2001, BASELINE AND FOLLOW-UP DATA
[ICPSR 3678], REACH II designed and tested a single multi-component
intervention among family caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's
disease or related disorders. The overall objectives were (1) to
identify and reduce modifiable risk factors among diverse family
caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's Disease or a related disorder,
(2) to enhance the quality of care provided to the care recipients,
and (3) to enhance the well-being of the caregivers. REACH II is the
first project to simultaneously test a comprehensive caregiver
intervention in three distinct racial/ethnic groups: Hispanic/Latino,
Black/African-American, and White/Caucasian. The intervention was
based on a risk-appraisal approach in which five areas of
risk--depression, burden, self-care, social support, and patient
problem behaviors--that are central to caregiver well-being and
quality of life were matched to corresponding intervention
components. These components included education, skills to manage
troublesome care-recipient behaviors, social support, cognitive
strategies for reframing negative emotional responses, and strategies
for enhancing healthy behaviors and managing stress. Consistent with
this approach, the primary outcome was a multivariate quality of life
indicator that assessed caregiver depression, burden, self-care,
social support, and patient problem behaviors. Two hallmarks of
caregiver intervention studies--caregiver clinical depression and
patient institutionalization--were assessed as secondary outcomes. The
dataset names listed in this collection include the shortened name of
the form administered.