The use of clinical case management for early stage Alzheimer' patients and their families

Abstract

A number of studies have investigated the effectiveness of community based interventions to delay placement for persons with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and to ease caregiver burden, with mixed results. However, much of this research involved subjects who were in later stages of AD or the disease stage was not specified. Some researchers have suggested that the timing of interventions in these studies contributed to negative outcomes. This paper presents the results of a project which provided a comprehensive home care program to persons with early stage AD and their primary caregivers over a period of 18 months. Results indicated that caregivers in the treatment group felt less burdened at six months than caregivers in the control group and institutionalization was delayed for patients (with mild to moderate impairment) in the treatment group. These differences seem most attributable to the case management service provided to persons in the treatment group which featured supportive counseling, referral, skill training and education.