TELECOMMUNICATION INTERVENTIONS FOR CAREGIVERS OF ELDERS WITH DEMENTIA

Caregiver Interventions via Telecommunications (CIT) is designed for f amily caregivers of elders with dementia. Building on Riegel's dialect ical theory of human development, the authors argue that psychotherape utic interventions, made highly accessible by telecommunication techno logy, assist caregivers to achieve positive developmental outcomes. Sp ecific components of CIT are described, and an outline for a structure d protocol is provided. Advantages, disadvantages, and future directio ns of telecommunications therapy are discussed.