Objectives: To investigate the feasibility of implementing a Sleep Education Program (SEP) for improving sleep in adult family home (AFH) residents with dementia, and the relative efficacy of SEP compared with usual care control in a pilot randomized controlled trial.; Participants: Thirty-seven AFH staff-caregivers and 47 residents with comorbid dementia and sleep disturbances.; Intervention: SEP […]
Objectives: To test the effects of walking, light exposure, and a combination intervention (walking, light, and sleep education) on the sleep of persons with Alzheimer’s disease (AD).; Design: Randomized, controlled trial with blinded assessors.; Setting: Independent community living.; Participants: One hundred thirty-two people with AD and their in-home caregivers.; Interventions: Participants were randomly assigned to […]
Objectives: This article describes results of a randomized controlled trial comparing a time-limited early-stage memory loss (ESML) support group program conducted by a local Alzheimer’s Association chapter to a wait-list (WL) control condition.; Methods: One hundred and forty-two dyads were randomized in blocks to ESML (n = 96) or WL (n = 46). Mean age […]
Objectives: This preliminary study examines the efficacy of 12-week home-delivered problem adaptation therapy (PATH) versus home-delivered supportive therapy (ST) in reducing depression and disability in 30 depressed, cognitively impaired, disabled older adults.; Design: A 12-week randomized clinical trial. Research assistants were unaware of the participants’ randomization status. Assessments were conducted at baseline, 6 weeks, and […]
Objectives: To investigate a protocol for identifying and evaluating treatment fidelity in Staff Training in Assisted-living Residences (STAR), a structured but flexible program to train direct care staff to improve care of residents with dementia.; Design: Multisite feasibility trial.; Setting: Assisted living facilities (ALFs).; Participants: Forty-four direct care staff and 36 leadership staff.; Intervention: STAR […]
Purpose: For individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), memory loss may prevent successful engagement in exercise, a key factor in preventing additional disability. The Resources and Activities for Life Long Independence (RALLI) program uses behavioral principles to make exercise more accessible for these individuals. Exercises are broken into small steps, sequenced, and linked with cues […]
Dementia is often associated with challenging behaviors that can significantly impact the quality of life of individuals with dementia and pose great difficulty for long-term care staff. Antipsychotic medications, historically the mainstay approach for managing such behaviors, have increasingly been associated with limited efficacy and increased death risk with older dementia patients. In an effort […]