Optimizing Dementia Care (ODeC)
Alzheimer's Disease, Dementia, Dementia, Vascular
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Alzheimer's Disease focused on measuring Behavioral sciences, Counseling, Intervention Studies, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Telemedicine, Mindfulness
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
Veterans:
- Must be age 19 or older
- Must have a diagnosis of dementia or a related disorder
- Must live in the community (i.e. not in a VA Community Living Center, nursing home, or other facility)
- Must cohabitate with a caregiver
- Must have reliable access to a telephone
- Must be willing to consent to participate or provide assent in conjunction with proxy consent if their decision-making capacity is compromised
Caregivers:
- Must be age 19 or older
- Must self-identify as assisting with care for at least 8 hours/week
- Must be willing to consent to participate
Exclusion Criteria:
Veterans:
- Currently incarcerated
- Currently pregnant
- Dyads experiencing low levels of distress
Caregivers:
- Currently incarcerated
- Currently pregnant
- Experiencing severe cognitive impairment that would impair their ability to communicate during an interview
- Dyads experiencing low levels of distress
Sites / Locations
- Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center, Tuscaloosa, AL
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Active Comparator
Experimental
Care Consultation (CC)
Care Consultation + Counseling (CC+C)
Care Consultation (CC): is an established telephone-based, empowerment intervention that uses coaching and emotional support to mobilize family caregivers and individuals with dementia through psychoeducation, resource referral, psychosocial support, and encouragement of informal and formal service use utilization. A computerized clinical tool called the Care Consultation Information System (CCIS) guides the care consultant through a standardized delivery of protocol components. Rather than a strong focus on assessment, this intervention is designed to quickly identify areas of unmet need through brief trigger questions called the "initial assessment" - much like an interview guide - which then immediately shapes development of concrete action plans.
Care Consultation + Counseling (CC+C): is consistent with the original CC protocol in that the therapist partners with each dyad in a patient-centered way to prioritize unmet needs as identified during the CC initial assessment. Once this phase has been completed, typically within the first 2 sessions, the CC+C therapist will determine when to initiate counseling sessions targeting 8-10 domains of potential distress (grief, hostility, sexual intimacy, etc.). The counseling component of the CC+C intervention incorporates elements of existing manualized interventions that have been tailored for this population and follow a cognitive behavioral therapy framework.