The Tele.TAnDem Intervention: Telephone-based CBT for Family Caregivers of People With Dementia

Abstract

The CBT-based telephone intervention increased mental and physical health as well as coping abilities of family caregivers of people with dementia. The intervention can be delivered by qualified CBT therapists after an 8-h training session in existing health care provision structures.

Acceptance and treatment effects of an internet‐delivered cognitive‐behavioral intervention for family caregivers of people with dementia: A randomized‐controlled trial

“…Nonsignificant effects on caregiver burden are also a frequent finding in intervention studies with dementia caregivers (Wasilewski et al, ; Wilz, Reder, et al, ). In fact, a major challenge of interventions for caregivers is that the caregiving situation is becoming increasingly difficult with time and any intervention that has a fixed ending might not be sufficient to lift caregiver burden.…”

“…Indeed, 26.7% of study participants rated eight messages as not enough and the most successful intervention programs consist of 10 or more sessions (e.g., Belle et al, ; Mittelman, Roth, Coon, & Haley, ). In the 12‐session telephone‐based Tele.TAnDem intervention, participants improved on a wide range of outcomes including symptoms of depression (Wilz, Reder, et al, ), but fewer effects were found for the seven‐session Tele.TAnDem program (Wilz & Soellner, ).…”

“…The manual for the telephone‐based Tele.TAnDem intervention was adapted to be delivered as a written intervention via the internet. The manual follows cognitive‐behavioral principles and consists of 10 therapy modules (Wilz, Reder et al, ). An overview of the modules is given in Table , a detailed description is given in Wilz, Reder et al ().…”

“…The manual follows cognitive‐behavioral principles and consists of 10 therapy modules (Wilz, Reder et al, ). An overview of the modules is given in Table , a detailed description is given in Wilz, Reder et al (). The intervention was delivered via a secure internet platform, the Tele.TAnDem.online blog.…”

“…The effectiveness of the Tele.TAnDem intervention has been investigated in two consecutive randomized‐controlled trials (RCTs). Tele.TAnDem successfully reduced symptoms of depression, predeath grief, and physical symptoms and increased emotional well‐being, coping with the care situation, coping with behavior problems of the care recipient, and utilization of psychosocial resources (Meichsner & Wilz, ; Töpfer & Wilz, ; Wilz & Soellner, ; Wilz, Reder, Meichsner, & Soellner, ). Long‐term effects were found for emotional well‐being, physical health, and quality of life (Wilz, Meichsner, & Soellner, ).…”