Clinic for Cognitive Neurology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Liebigstr. 16, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
Institute for Social Medicine and Epidemiology, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 , Lübeck, Germany.
BMC Health Serv Res. 2023 Jun 15;23(1):643. doi: 10.1186/s12913-023-09579-1.
Caring for a relative with dementia can be demanding and time-consuming. It is not uncommon for them to be overburdened and overworked, which can lead to symptoms of depression or anxiety disorders in 2/3 of cases. One possibility for treating family carers who have these issues is special medical rehabilitation (rehab). However, studies have shown that while such rehab is effective, it is not sustainable. To increase the sustainability of rehab for this target group, structured telephone-based aftercare groups were implemented in the present study. A process evaluation was conducted focusing on the acceptability of the aftercare programme and its perceived benefits by the participating family carers and group moderators.
The process evaluation was embedded in a longitudinal randomized controlled trial and followed a mixed methods approach. Quantitative process data were collected using protocols and structured brief evaluations regarding the telephone-based aftercare groups. To assess the acceptability of the aftercare groups as well as their subjective evaluation by the participants, qualitative process data were collected through two longitudinal telephone-based interviews with a subsample of family carers as well as a focus group interview with the group moderators.
Telephone-based aftercare groups provide acceptable and supportive experiences, and they are shown to be practicable. The content structure and the procedure of the group sessions could be easily implemented in everyday life after inpatient rehab. The topics addressed with each patient were met with a consistently positive response. Learning from the other group members and sharing a bond based on the experience of caring for a relative with dementia were evaluated as positive outcomes in the group. The universality of suffering as a central effective factor of group psychotherapy also played a decisive role in this telephone-based support group format for a shared bonding and strengthening experience in the groups and thus for their effectiveness.
Telephone-based aftercare groups for family carers of people with dementia are a useful and acceptable tool in the context of rehab aftercare. This location-independent aftercare programme could be adapted for other indications, focuses or topics in everyday care.
German Clinical Trials Register: DRKS00013736, 14/05/2018.
照顾患有痴呆症的亲属可能是一项艰巨而耗时的任务。他们经常不堪重负和过度劳累，导致 2/3 的情况下出现抑郁或焦虑障碍症状。治疗有这些问题的家庭照顾者的一种可能性是特殊的医疗康复（康复）。然而，研究表明，尽管这种康复有效，但它不可持续。为了提高该目标群体康复的可持续性，本研究中实施了基于结构化电话的康复后护理小组。进行了一项过程评估，重点关注康复后护理计划的可接受性及其对参与家庭照顾者和小组主持人的感知益处。
过程评估嵌入在一项纵向随机对照试验中，并采用混合方法方法进行。使用有关基于电话的康复后护理小组的方案和结构化简要评估来收集定量过程数据。为了评估康复后护理小组的可接受性以及参与者的主观评估，通过对家庭照顾者的一个子样本进行两次纵向电话访谈以及对小组主持人进行焦点小组访谈，收集定性过程数据。
基于电话的康复后护理小组提供了可接受和支持性的体验，并且被证明是可行的。小组会议的内容结构和程序可以在住院康复后轻松地在日常生活中实施。与每位患者讨论的主题都得到了一致的积极回应。从其他小组成员那里学习并基于照顾痴呆症亲属的经验建立联系被评估为小组中的积极结果。作为小组心理治疗的核心有效因素的普遍痛苦也在这种基于电话的支持小组形式中发挥了决定性作用，为小组中的共同联系和加强经验以及因此为其有效性提供了支持。
基于电话的痴呆症患者家庭照顾者康复后护理小组是康复后护理中的一种有用且可接受的工具。这种独立于位置的康复后护理计划可以适应日常护理中的其他适应症、重点或主题。
德国临床试验注册处：DRKS00013736，2018 年 5 月 14 日。
