Keeping Vigil

Principal Investigator: Nancy Hodgson
Period: July 2006 - June 2007
Funded by: Farber Family Foundation

Abstract: This study aims to field test a psychoeducational program designed to meet the information needs of family caregivers during the final stages of dementia. A second objective is to evaluate caregiver satisfaction with the intervention, and changes in caregiver stress, grief and resilience after participation in the program. Central to the intervention is a family-based conference during which the families are provided with information about the resident's prognosis and treatment options during the final phase of illness. The intervention is individually tailored to the specific learning styles identified by the family members during baseline assessment and is administered to families during the "terminal decline" stage of the resident's illness trajectory.