Design and Evaluation of a Self-Paced Learning Resource Booklet for Caregivers of Individuals with Alzheimer's Disease

Abstract

Research in the last decade has focused on the impact of the caregiver role (Cantor, 1983), the nature of caregivers (Brody, 1981, 1983), and the stress and burden associated with caregiver (Zarit, Todd and Zarit, 1986). Health professionals working with caregivers have attempted to focus on interventions to reduce feelings of burden and to increase effective coping. Evaluation of educational interventions to reduce caregiver stress and burden has been a recent research focus. Unfortunately, research has shown that it is altruistic to believe that caregiver stress and burden can be alleviated by educational interventions. Family caregivers are faced with the task of learning about the nature and complexity of dementia and the unusual behaviours which accompany Alzheimer's disease. A resource booklet, written to assist caregivers to learn about the disease, about management strategies and about their own feelings may be more effective than interventions to reduce stress. The evaluation focused on whether the resource booklet would provide information which family caregivers would perceive to be relevant and useful. The evaluation was conducted using a convenience sample of ten caregivers. Two time intervals were used to collect information on caregivers' reactions to the resource booklet; one week following the initial reading of the booklet and 4-6 weeks post-reading. A written questionnaire at time one, and follow-up telephone interviews at time two, were used to measure caregivers' reactions to the booklet. Results indicated that the information in the booklet was useful in assisting caregivers to manage care, and that the caregivers found the booklet easy to read and the format acceptable.