Family Oriented Interventions in Alzheimer's Care

Abstract

Recent statistics indicate that 1.5 million persons in the United States have Alzheimer's disease (AD) and that the number may continue to rise. Scientists are searching for the causes of the disease and have recently identified genetic links within families, brain abnormalities and environmental toxins, such as aluminum, as possible causal factors. The primary method of treating patients with AD is drug therapy to delay the progressive loss of mental abilities. While there are as yet no cures for the disease, the burdens that the illness places on the family are clearly recognized, and family counseling is the major approach taken by physicians. There is very little research that has systematically looked at how effective family counseling programs have been. The existing research has not been well conducted to this point, but it has been clearly recognized that the major purposes of family counseling must be 1/ to convey accurate information about the disease and its expected course, 2) to help families solve problems in their lives that are the result of the disease, and 3) to provide emotional support to family members. This article suggests that future research on family counseling programs must clearly define what the “family” is, measure observable changes in family coping that result from family counseling, determine the extent to which family counseling may save families money in the long run, and examine the special needs of AD patients. It is hoped that these recommendations will guide researchers in their attempts at measuring the productive changes that can take place within a family with a member that has AD.