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ERIC Number: EJ789977
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2008-Feb
Pages: 6
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0016-9013
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Assisted Vacations for Men with Dementia and Their Caregiving Spouses: Evaluation of Health-Related Effects
Wilz, Gabriele; Fink-Heitz, Margit
Gerontologist, v48 n1 p115-120 Feb 2008
Purpose: In this study, we conducted the first evaluation of assisted vacations for persons with dementia and their caregivers in the field of caregiving research. Design and Methods: We used a quasi-experimental, two-group, repeated measures design with two measuring times (preintervention, 3-month follow-up) to examine whether assisted vacations lead to a reduction in physical complaints and symptoms of depression in family caregivers. The sample consisted of 29 caregiving wives who were providing at-home care for husbands suffering from dementia. We selected the participants in the control group from a waiting list. Outcome measurements were made with the Giessen Subjective Complaints List and the Beck Depression Inventory. Results: The overall emotional and physical states of the participants in the intervention group showed significant improvements in comparison with those of the control group 3 months after the first interview. Implications: The results show that assisted vacations can have both immediate and longer lasting positive effects on participants' health. Assisted vacations can therefore be a way of diminishing the risk of stress disorders for caregiving spouses. Making assisted vacations available to people with dementia and their caregivers is a worthwhile goal for community support facilities working to reduce caregiver burden.
Gerontological Society of America. 1030 15th Street NW Suite 250, Washington, DC 20005. Tel: 202-842-1275; Fax: 202-842-1150; e-mail: geron@geron.org; Web site: http://www.geron.org/journals/gsapub.htm
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A