Northern Manhattan Caregiver Intervention Project

The goal of this study is to compare the effectiveness of an existing evidence-based dementia family caregiver intervention, the New York University Caregiver Intervention (NYUCI), to community-based case management using community health workers (CHWs) in Hispanic caregivers in Northern Manhattan. The investigators will randomize 160 relative caregivers of persons with dementia to case management alone or NYUCI in addition to case management. The total duration of followup will be 6 months. We will call this project the Northern Manhattan Caregiver Intervention Project (NOCIP).

The primary aim is to compare changes from baseline to 6 months in caregiver depressive symptoms, measured with the geriatric depression scale (GDS), and in caregiver burden using the Zarit caregiver burden interview (ZBI), between the randomization arms using an Intent to treat approach. The investigators hypothesize that depressive symptoms and caregiver burden will improve or deteriorate less in the NYUCI arm compared to the case management arm at 6 months.

This project addresses one of the priority areas for comparative effectiveness research (CER) from the Institute of Medicine, "interventions for caregivers of persons with dementia". It also addresses 2 priority conditions from the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ): Dementia and Depression. Dementia caregiver burden is a major source of disparities in Northern Manhattan. The prevalence of dementia in Hispanics is twice that of Non-Hispanic Whites. In addition, Hispanic families tend to be reluctant to delegate the care of their relatives with dementia and consider it a family affair. Thus, the burden of care-giving for persons with dementia is much higher in Hispanic families. NOCIP will be the first study to test the effectiveness of an existing caregiver intervention, the New York University Caregiver Intervention, in the Hispanic community of Northern Manhattan. In addition, the NYUCI has been tested in spouse caregivers, and NOCIP will be the first randomized clinical trial to include non-spouse caregivers.

Inclusion criteria

• Must be caring for a relative with a clinical diagnosis of dementia and have the primary responsibility for their care. All people with dementia must be living at home with their caregiver when they enroll in the study.
• In each family, the person with dementia or the caregiver has to have at least one relative living in the New York City metropolitan area.
• The caregiver must be emotionally and physically capable of participating. Caregivers with clinical depression or other serious mental illness will be referred.