Clinical trial NCT03177772: Group Therapy For Dementia Caregivers At Risk For Complicated Grief
Official title: Group Therapy For Dementia Caregivers At Risk For Complicated Grief
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Conditions: Grief
Keywords: caregivers
grief
dementia
long-term care
psychotherapy group
Lead sponsor: University of Utah
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Alzheimer's Association
First posted: 2017-06-06
Enrollment: 80
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Observational model: ECOLOGIC_OR_COMMUNITY
Time perspective: PROSPECTIVE
Sampling method: NON_PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: Study participants will be ADRD caregivers at risk for CG with a family member diagnosed with ADRD having a life expectancy of less than 6 months and residing in one of three partner Long-term care the facilities

Brief summary: The investigators are adapting Complicated Grief Group Therapy (CGGT) for soon-to-be bereaved dementia caregivers at risk for complicated grief-Pre-Loss Group Therapy (PLGT) to facilitate healthy death preparedness and eventual bereavement. This will be the first known application of proven therapeutic strategies to address complicated grief applied to high-risk dementia caregivers prior to care recipient death to mitigate complicated grief. If proven to be effective in attenuating poor bereavement outcomes, PLGT could be translated into comprehensive caregiver support programs and delivered to active caregivers of living persons with dementia at risk for complicated grief through community-based caregiver support groups.

Detailed description: In the investigators previous evaluation of Complicated Grief Group Therapy (CGGT) in bereaved dementia caregivers (2014-NIRG-305569), CGGT was administered to participants in a prospective, randomized-controlled trial. Participants in 5 treatment groups confirmed clinically significant reduction in complicated grief on the Inventory of Complicated Grief. In that study, intervention elements suitable for adaption in a preventative care approach were identified. The investigators are adapting these elements of CGGT for soon-to-be bereaved dementia caregivers at risk for complicated grief-Pre-Loss Group Therapy (PLGT) to facilitate healthy death preparedness and eventual bereavement.

Specific Aims: 1) Assess preparedness for death and grief of bereaved and soon-to-be bereaved caregivers. 2) Adapt CGGT treatment elements into a manualized pre-loss preparedness group psychotherapy-(PLGT)-for dementia caregivers at risk for complicated grief. 3) Implement and evaluate three PLGT cohorts (NTotal = 40) in three long-term care facilities with family caregivers at-risk for complicated grief whose care recipient has a life expectancy of 6 months or less and resides in a long-term care facility.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Study participants will be ADRD caregivers at risk for CG with a family member diagnosed with ADRD having a life expectancy of less than 6 months and residing in the facility. Caregivers with ADRD residents nearing death will be temporally closer to their grief/preparedness experience permitting 3 month post death follow-up within the study timeline. Eligibility (stage 1). Potential family caregiver participants will be identified by facility leadership (Medical Director, Social Worker and Director of Nursing) by these inclusion criteria:

  1. resident ADRD diagnosis,
  2. life expectancy, "Would you be surprised if this resident died in the next 6 months?" and
  3. caregiver proximity to facility permitting participation. Potential participants will receive an invitation phone call from the ResearchAssistant (RA). Eligibility (stage 2). Interested individuals will be invited to a pre-screening interview with the RA in person at the facility. Those who meet the final inclusion criteria,
  4. minimum score of 4 on p-BGQ, and
  5. positive scores on 4 of 9 risk factors will qualify

Exclusion Criteria:

* Active suicidality (likely hospitalization) will exclude interested individuals from participating

Primary outcomes:
measure: Grief
timeFrame: 3 months post death of care recipient
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Meaning Making
timeFrame: 3 months post death of care recipient
measure: Preparedness
timeFrame: 3 months post death of care recipient
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Salt Lake City
country: United States
facility: St. Joseph Villa
state: Utah
city: Salt Lake City
country: United States
facility: Silverado Care Facility
state: Utah
city: Salt Lake City
country: United States
facility: William E. Christoffersen Veterans Home
state: Utah
Study officials:
References: