A Psychosocial Intervention for Bereaved Spousal Caregivers of Persons With Dementia

A Psychosocial Intervention for Bereaved Spousal Caregivers of Persons With Dementia: Adapting the "Finding Balance" Tool

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a writing intervention (Reclaiming Yourself), intended to facilitate bereavement for spousal caregivers whose partners died with dementia.

The current research is part 3 of a multi-phase project, whose purpose was to examine the experience of bereavement for spousal caregivers to persons with dementia. Based on spouses' shared experiences and the input of experts in the field (i.e. bereavement/dementia researchers, health care providers), an existing writing intervention called the Finding Balance tool was adapted from the context of cancer bereavement to that of dementia. The purpose of this third phase is to test this adapted writing intervention (Reclaiming Yourself) with bereaved spouses of persons with dementia. Participants will be randomly assigned into one of two groups: treatment (who will receive the tool); and control (who will not be offered the tool until a later stage). The feasibility and acceptability of the intervention will be assessed, as well as the degree to which it facilitated participants' bereavement, ability to find balance, and psychological health.

This tool is a behavioural writing intervention, intended to facilitate bereavement for spousal caregivers of persons with dementia

The measure will be administered pre-intervention, 1 month following the introduction of the intervention, and 2 months following the introduction of the intervention

Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale- Revised (CESD-R)- change at 1 and 2 months post-intervention

The measure will be administered pre-intervention, 1 month following the introduction of the intervention, and 2 months following the introduction of the intervention

The measure will be administered pre-intervention, 1 month following the introduction of the intervention, and 2 months following the introduction of the intervention

Inclusion Criteria: bereaved for three months or longer were a caregiver for their spouse with advanced dementia English speaking willing and able to share their bereavement experience Exclusion Criteria: those with other than a spousal relationship to the person with dementia spousal caregivers of persons with another terminal disease those bereaved less than 3 months those unable to provide consent