Trial Outcomes & Findings for Tailored Activity Program-Veterans Affairs (NCT NCT01357564)

Intervention Group Tailored Activity Program: Intervention Protocol: In session #1, the interventionist, an occupational therapist (OT), meets with the caregiver and introduces the intervention goals. The OT provides and reviews a 3-ring binder which contains written educational materials about dementia, importance of taking care of self, communication strategies and other educational materials. Also provided and reviewed will be a copy of Mace and Rabins' book, The 36 Hour Day. The OT will interview the caregiver to obtain information about previous roles, habits, past and current daily routines, caregiver and Veteran preferences and interests. The OT will also observe interactions, noting communication and management style. The OT will also meet with the Veteran, observe social capacity using the Peavy Comportment scale and administer the Dementia Rating Scale (DRS-2).

Attention Control

n=154 Participants

Tailored intervention activity. Tailored Activity Program: Intervention Protocol: In session #1, the interventionist, an occupational therapist (OT), meets with the caregiver and introduces the intervention goals. The OT provides and reviews a 3-ring binder which contains written educational materials about dementia, importance of taking care of self, communication strategies and other educational materials. Also provided and reviewed will be a copy of Mace and Rabins' book, The 36 Hour Day. The OT will interview the caregiver to obtain information about previous roles, habits, past and current daily routines, caregiver and Veteran preferences and interests. The OT will also observe interactions, noting communication and management style.

n=168 Participants

Attention control. Caregivers in this group receive bi-weekly telephone contact (up to 8 contacts) by a trained healthcare professional. In each session, caregivers are provided important information about dementia and strategies for managing the disease at home (Table 2). Each telephone contact is approximately 30 minutes in length and begins with a brief overview of the specific purpose of the session, followed by a description of the key facts about the session topic, and concludes with a question and answer period. Table 2 outlines the specific domain and session content that is covered. The attention control group intervention is delivered by a member of the research team who is knowledgeable about dementia and has had prior experience working with family caregivers.

n=322 Participants

Total of all reporting groups

n=154 Participants

The INT is designed to draw on residual abilities of Veterans with dementia and provide an environment supportive of these abilities. Occupational therapists assess the person's home environment, preserved capabilities, daily routines, interests and the caregiver's readiness and ability to use activities. Activities are developed that reflect the Veteran's previous or current interests and are modified to match their preserved capabilities without taxing the most impaired areas of cognition (e.g., memory, new learning). TAP-VA provides caregivers with the requisite knowledge and skills to use activities. Caregivers are instructed in specific skills such as ways to simplify activities, the environment and their communication, and how to help the Veteran initiate and follow a sequence. The overall goal is to provide predictability, familiarity, and structure in the daily life of the Veteran and establish a level of environmental stimulation appropriate to that person's abilities.

n=168 Participants

The ATN Serves 3 purposes: 1) creates clinical equipoise, ensuring that ethical treatment is provided to all study participants; 2) controls for the one-on-one attention to caregivers in the intervention group to rule out potential effects of professional contact; and 3) serves as a retention tool. Caregivers in this group receive bi-weekly telephone contact by a trained healthcare professional. In each session, caregivers are provided important information about dementia and strategies for disease management. Each telephone contact begins with a brief overview of the specific purpose of the session, followed by a description of the key facts about the session topic, and concludes with a question and answer period. Table 2 outlines the specific domain and session content that is covered. The attention control group intervention is delivered by a member of the research team who is knowledgeable about dementia and has had prior experience working with family caregivers.

n=154 Participants

The INT is designed to draw on residual abilities of Veterans with dementia and provide an environment supportive of these abilities. Occupational therapists assess the person's home environment, preserved capabilities, daily routines, interests and the caregiver's readiness and ability to use activities. Activities are developed that reflect the Veteran's previous or current interests and are modified to match their preserved capabilities without taxing the most impaired areas of cognition (e.g., memory, new learning). TAP-VA provides caregivers with the requisite knowledge and skills to use activities. Caregivers are instructed in specific skills such as ways to simplify activities, the environment and their communication, and how to help the Veteran initiate and follow a sequence. The overall goal is to provide predictability, familiarity, and structure in the daily life of the Veteran and establish a level of environmental stimulation appropriate to that person's abilities.

n=168 Participants

The ATN Serves 3 purposes: 1) creates clinical equipoise, ensuring that ethical treatment is provided to all study participants; 2) controls for the one-on-one attention to caregivers in the intervention group to rule out potential effects of professional contact; and 3) serves as a retention tool. Caregivers in this group receive bi-weekly telephone contact by a trained healthcare professional. In each session, caregivers are provided important information about dementia and strategies for disease management. Each telephone contact begins with a brief overview of the specific purpose of the session, followed by a description of the key facts about the session topic, and concludes with a question and answer period. Table 2 outlines the specific domain and session content that is covered. The attention control group intervention is delivered by a member of the research team who is knowledgeable about dementia and has had prior experience working with family caregivers.

n=154 participants at risk

The INT is designed to draw on residual abilities of Veterans with dementia and provide an environment supportive of these abilities. Occupational therapists assess the person's home environment, preserved capabilities, daily routines, interests and the caregiver's readiness and ability to use activities. Activities are developed that reflect the Veteran's previous or current interests and are modified to match their preserved capabilities without taxing the most impaired areas of cognition (e.g., memory, new learning). TAP-VA provides caregivers with the requisite knowledge and skills to use activities. Caregivers are instructed in specific skills such as ways to simplify activities, the environment and their communication, and how to help the Veteran initiate and follow a sequence. The overall goal is to provide predictability, familiarity, and structure in the daily life of the Veteran and establish a level of environmental stimulation appropriate to that person's abilities.

n=168 participants at risk

The ATN Serves 3 purposes: 1) creates clinical equipoise, ensuring that ethical treatment is provided to all study participants; 2) controls for the one-on-one attention to caregivers in the intervention group to rule out potential effects of professional contact; and 3) serves as a retention tool. Caregivers in this group receive bi-weekly telephone contact by a trained healthcare professional. In each session, caregivers are provided important information about dementia and strategies for disease management. Each telephone contact begins with a brief overview of the specific purpose of the session, followed by a description of the key facts about the session topic, and concludes with a question and answer period. Table 2 outlines the specific domain and session content that is covered. The attention control group intervention is delivered by a member of the research team who is knowledgeable about dementia and has had prior experience working with family caregivers.