Stress Management, Education, Efficacy Building in Dyads Coping with Dementia-Related Symptoms (SEEDS)
Abstract
Rationale: Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (AD/ADRD) and traumatic brain injury-related dementia (TBI-AD) are major public health problems, with more individuals being diagnosed with these conditions each year. With the aging of the Veteran population and predicted increased rates of dementia among Veterans due to increasing traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, and several other war-related factors, it is estimated that there will be 423,000 new cases of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias among military Veterans by the year 2020. Dementia and traumatic brain injury share a range of common behavioral/mood symptoms including depression, agitation, sleep disturbance, as well as cognitive changes such as difficulties with memory, attention, and language. These common symptoms cause varying level of distress for both the person with dementia (PWD) and the family caregivers supporting him or her. Stress on the person with dementia can contribute to ongoing worsening of the dementia and dementia-related symptoms. Nearly 60% of caregivers of individuals with AD/ADRD experience high levels of burden, and more than one-third report clinically significant symptoms of depression. Stress in both the PWD and the caregiver leads to poor quality of life and disrupts the regulation of hormones in the body. At this point in time, there are very few empirically supported clinical interventions that are targeted towards the PWD and the caregiver together as a dyad. There is a growing need to explore the benefits of an intervention that considers the collective dementia experience for the dementia dyad. Still lacking is a feasible, multicomponent intervention that teaches stress management, self-efficacy skills, and mindfulness for the dyad, and assesses quality of life along with regulatory markers of stress in the body. This study aims to build upon our experience of using a mindfulness-based, multicomponent caregiver intervention and to examine the use of a mindfulness-enhanced, multicomponent intervention for the dyad called Stress management, Education, Efficacy-building, in Dyads coping with dementia-related Symptoms (SEEDS). This intervention incorporates dyad education, communication and interaction, and mindfulness-based stress reduction, and aims to enhance quality of life and mutual support and compassion in the dyad. Objective: The primary objectives of this project are (1) to evaluate the effectiveness of SEEDS in the improvement of quality of life for both individuals with AD/ADRD and family caregivers and (2) to examine the effects of SEEDS on biological markers of stress in the body. SEEDS includes dyad education regarding the symptoms of AD/ADRD, mindfulness practice for stress reduction, mindful compassion, and problem-solving skills for managing the PWD’s distress behaviors. SEEDS will have a positive impact on the dyad’s health, family dynamics, and the quality of life of both PWD and caregivers. Veterans with diagnosis of AD/ADRD and their caregivers will receive six in-person intervention sessions that provide education about the illness, stress management skills, communication skills as related to changes due to the illness, identification and problem-solving around dementia-related distress behaviors, encouragement of healthy self-care, and the promotion of pleasant activities, compassion, and acceptance. This study will compare the impact of SEEDS on stress, depression, health of the dyad, by measuring these outcomes before and after the treatment. There are enormous benefits to increasing dyadic treatment options for persons with dementia and their caregivers. SEEDS is a particularly appealing option based on the existing evidence related to the needs of Veterans with dementia and their caregivers. By including several effective components including education, communication skills building, mutual support, and mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques, along w
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 10, 2021
- Source ID
- W81XWH2010441
Entities
People
- Mamta Sapra
Organizations
- United States Army