Supporting Caregivers of Persons With Dementia: A Pilot Study

The purpose of this study is to pilot the home Environmental Skill-Building Program (ESP) and an educational control intervention with persons with dementia and their caregivers (n=40) in preparation for a larger double-blind randomized controlled trial. Caregivers of persons with dementia often deal with difficult behaviors. The ESP is an occupational therapy intervention that helps caregivers adapt to their environment and build care-giving skills. The areas addressed include changes to the home set-up, adaptive equipment, instruction in strategies of problem-solving, energy conservation, safe task performance, and fall recovery techniques. A trial is needed with methodological rigor and to determine if the intervention is feasible in the Canadian health care system. Results will contribute to understanding how caregivers and people with dementia can be supported in their home environments.