Efficacy and impact of spousal support groups in enhancing the well-being of caring in early onset dementia: Lessons learned from the ACE Alzheimer center Barcelona

Abstract

Background: The group intervention aimed at caregivers of persons with dementia is regarded as an effective tool for support and education. However, these groups do not specifically cater to caregivers of individuals with spouses affected by young-onset dementia. Objective: To assess the effectiveness of a support and training group specifically targeted towards spouses of individuals with young onset dementia and its impact on reducing caregiver burden. Participants and Methods: Participants were recruited from a single memory clinic in Catalonia, Spain. The Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) was utilized to evaluate caregiver burden both before and after participation in the support groups and a combined quantitative and qualitative analysis approach was employed. Results: A total of 77 caregivers were included and assessed, comprising 45.5% females with a mean age of 55 years and 54.5% males with a mean age of 63 years. While the overall caregiver burden, as measured by the ZBI, did not exhibit a significant reduction following participation in the group sessions, a notable decrease in ZBI scores was observed among caregivers with the highest burden at baseline. Three key stages were identified throughout the sessions: (1) discussions pertaining to the type of dementia and its associated changes; (2) the provision of care and attention to spouses along with the exchange of information among participants; and (3) identification of caregivers’ needs. Conclusions: The subgroup of caregivers of persons with young onset dementia who exhibited the highest burden at baseline derived the greatest benefit from the support groups. Various qualitative indicators.