INTERVENTIONS FOR CAREGIVERS OF PATIENTS WITH ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE - A REVIEW AND ANALYSIS OF CONTENT, PROCESS, AND OUTCOMES

Current reviews of the-caregiver intervention literature have focused primarily on the outcomes of interventions for caregivers and general methodological limitations of individual studies (i.e., sampling and r ecruitment issues, adequacy of outcome measures, and generalization is sues). Little attention has been paid to the specific factors affectin g the therapeutic process, including the intensity and integrity of th e interventions used. The purpose of this review is to examine closely the content and process of Alzheimer's disease (AD) caregiver interve ntions. We describe the types of interventions currently in use, facto rs affecting intervention outcomes, and we conclude with specific reco mmendations for the application of intervention technology and for the documentation of intervention research.