SAVVY CAREGIVER PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS AND PRELIMINARY MECHANISM EXAMINATION. (11th November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McClure, N; Paulson, D; Wharton, T; Gendron, E
• Is Part Of: Innovation in aging. Volume 2(2018)Supplement 1
• Page Start: 461
• Page End: 461
• Publication Date: 2018-11-11
• Subjects: Aging -- Periodicals; Gerontology -- Periodicals; 612.67
• DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igy023.1727
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2399-5300

Abstract

Abstract: The Savvy Caregiver Program (SCP) is a well-established psychoeducation intervention for dementia caregivers. Though many evidence-based caregiver interventions exist, little research has examined effectiveness of these interventions in the community. Past work has overlooked the question of therapeutic mechanisms, though extensive theoretical and empirical findings suggest that caregiver preparedness may be one such mechanism. Primary goals of this study were A) to replicate past work examining the efficacy of SCP, and B) to examine caregiver preparedness as a prospective therapeutic mechanism. Subjects include dementia caregivers who completed the Savvy Caregiver protocol conducted by a community nonprofit organization in the metropolitan Orlando area. Measures administered before and after the 6-week Savvy Caregiver program include the Zarit Burden Inventory (short-form), the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Despression-10, the Anticipatory Grief Scale, and the Preparedness for Caregiving Scale. The modal participant was female (n=15, 83.3%), white (n=14, 77.8%), a college graduate (n=10, 55.6%) and reported her age as between 40 and 64 years (n=12, 66.7%). Results of paired-samples t-tests were that caregiver preparedness (t(16)=-4.31, p<.000), caregiver burden (t(16)=3.08, p<.007), and anticipatory grief (t(16)=3.22, p<.005) all improved over the course of the intervention. Mean scores on the depression measure were unchanged (t(16)=.52, p>.608). Change in caregiver burden from pre- to post-intervention was significantly moderated by change in caregiver preparedness (F=5.23, p<.05, ηρ2=.26). These findings are consistent with past work supporting use of the SCP with dementia caregivers, and builds on this work by identifying caregiver preparedness as one therapeutic mechanism by which this intervention influences caregiver distress.