Group Therapy For Dementia Caregivers At Risk For Complicated Grief

NCT ID: NCT03177772

Last Updated: 2021-11-23

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Total Enrollment: 80 participants
• Study Classification: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2018-03-01
• Study Completion Date: 2021-08-30

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.

Conditions

Grief

Keywords

caregivers; grief; dementia; long-term care; psychotherapy group

Study Design

• Observational Model Type: ECOLOGIC_OR_COMMUNITY
• Study Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

LTC Facility 1

Pre-loss Grief Support Group offered in long-term care facility for dementia family caregivers anticipating the death of their care recipient within next 6 month. Two hour sessions for 10 weeks include psychoeducation, motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral and exposure approaches. Supportive others, selected by participants are included in two sessions.

Pre-loss group therapy

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The PLGT intervention will include CGGT treatment elements modified to address the pre-loss preparation of caregivers at risk for complicated grief, and will focus on the perceived relationship and attachment status between caregiver and care recipient, how memories of the life together, the illness and the death are interpreted, and strategies for preparing for life without the care recipient. These activities include elements of motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy and prolonged exposure therapy.

LTC Facility 2

Pre-loss Grief Support Group offered in long-term care facility for dementia family caregivers anticipating the death of their care recipient within next 6 month. Two hour sessions for 10 weeks include psychoeducation, motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral and exposure approaches. Supportive others, selected by participants are included in two sessions.

Pre-loss group therapy

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The PLGT intervention will include CGGT treatment elements modified to address the pre-loss preparation of caregivers at risk for complicated grief, and will focus on the perceived relationship and attachment status between caregiver and care recipient, how memories of the life together, the illness and the death are interpreted, and strategies for preparing for life without the care recipient. These activities include elements of motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy and prolonged exposure therapy.

LTC Facility 3

Pre-loss Grief Support Group offered in long-term care facility for dementia family caregivers anticipating the death of their care recipient within next 6 month. Two hour sessions for 10 weeks include psychoeducation, motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral and exposure approaches. Supportive others, selected by participants are included in two sessions.

Pre-loss group therapy

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The PLGT intervention will include CGGT treatment elements modified to address the pre-loss preparation of caregivers at risk for complicated grief, and will focus on the perceived relationship and attachment status between caregiver and care recipient, how memories of the life together, the illness and the death are interpreted, and strategies for preparing for life without the care recipient. These activities include elements of motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy and prolonged exposure therapy.

Interventions

Pre-loss group therapy

The PLGT intervention will include CGGT treatment elements modified to address the pre-loss preparation of caregivers at risk for complicated grief, and will focus on the perceived relationship and attachment status between caregiver and care recipient, how memories of the life together, the illness and the death are interpreted, and strategies for preparing for life without the care recipient. These activities include elements of motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy and prolonged exposure therapy.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

1. resident ADRD diagnosis,

2. life expectancy, "Would you be surprised if this resident died in the next 6 months?" and

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

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Alzheimer's Association

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of Utah

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Katherine Supiano

Associate Professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

St. Joseph Villa

Salt Lake City, Utah, United States

Silverado Care Facility

Salt Lake City, Utah, United States

William E. Christoffersen Veterans Home

Salt Lake City, Utah, United States

Countries

United States

Study Documents

Document Type: Study Protocol

View Document

Other Identifiers

AARG-17-503706

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id