Health Education Groups for caregivers in an HMO

The short-term effectiveness of a Health Education Group (HEP) intervention program for spouses of frail older adults was compared to the usual care ( UC) offered to the spouses of frail older persons in a staff model health m aintenance organization. HEP is a multicomponent group program offered in e ight weekly, two-hour group sessions, and ten monthly, two-hour follow-up g roup sessions. It includes emotion-focused and problem-focused coping strat egies, education, and support. One-hundred and five spouses were recruited and randomly assigned to HEP (n = 58) or UC (n = 47). Spouse caregivers and care recipients were assessed within two weeks of intervention and within two weeks after the completion of the eight weekly group meetings. The resu lts indicate that. for caregivers. HEP was more effective than UC in reduci ng depression, maintaining social integration, increasing effectiveness in solving pressing problems. increasing knowledge of community services and h ow to access them, changing caregivers' feelings of competence, and the way they respond to the care giving situation. No significant differences, how ever, were found between care recipients in the two arms of the study on an y of the outcome measures. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.