According to sufficiently reported outcomes , social capital interventions showed mixed effects on quality of life , well-being and self-perceived health and were generally ineffective on loneliness , mood and mortality .
Conclusions Our review highlights the lack of evidence and the diversity among trials , while supporting the potential of social capital interventions to reach comprehensive health effects in older adults
Background Observational studies show that social capital is a protective health factor .
Therefore , we aim to assess the currently unclear health impact of social capital interventions targeting older adults .
Preserving health of Alzheimer caregivers: impact of a spouse caregiver intervention.
OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to determine the effects of counseling and support on the physical health of caregivers of spouses of people with Alzheimer disease . METHODS A r and omized controlled trial , conducted between 1987 and 2006 at an outpatient research clinic in the New York City metropolitan area compared outcomes of psychosocial intervention to usual care . Structured question naires were administered at baseline and regular follow-ups . A referred volunteer sample of 406 spouse caregivers of community dwelling patients with Alzheimer disease enrolled over a 9.5-year period .  Enhanced counseling and support consisted of six sessions of individual and family counseling , support group participation , and continuous availability of ad-hoc telephone counseling . Indicators of physical health included self-rated health ( SRH ) of caregivers and the number of reported illnesses . RESULTS Controlling for baseline SRH ( mean : 7.24 ) , intervention group caregivers had significantly better SRH than control group caregivers based upon model predicted mean scores four months after baseline ( 6.87 versus 7.21 ) , and this significant difference was maintained for two years ( 6.70 versus 7.01 ) . The effect of the intervention on SRH remained significant after controlling for the effects of patient death , nursing home placement , caregiver depressive symptoms and social support satisfaction . Similar benefits of intervention were found for number of illnesses .  CONCLUSION Counseling and support preserved SRH in vulnerable caregivers . Enhancing caregivers ' social support , fostering more benign appraisal s of stressors , and reducing depressive symptoms may yield indirect health benefits . Psychosocial intervention studies with biological measures of physical health outcomes are warranted
According to sufficiently reported outcomes , social capital interventions showed mixed effects on quality of life , well-being and self-perceived health and were generally ineffective on loneliness , mood and mortality .
Conclusions Our review highlights the lack of evidence and the diversity among trials , while supporting the potential of social capital interventions to reach comprehensive health effects in older adults
Background Observational studies show that social capital is a protective health factor .
Therefore , we aim to assess the currently unclear health impact of social capital interventions targeting older adults .