Caregiving and dementia: The impact of telephone helpline services

Abstract

We examined the impact of a telephone helpline providing information, referral, education, and counseling on caregivers for dementia patients. It lwas hypothesized that longitudinal telephone contact between caregivers and helpline staff would contribute to increased use of community services and decreased levels of burden and depression. Baseline and eight-week follow-up questionnaires were mailed to 98 caregivers who called a helpline. Half were assigned to an intervention group in which staff made biweekly return telephone calls for eight weeks to provide further assistance; the remaining (control) subjects only spoke with staff once during the eight week study period. Results indicated that extended telephone contact increased use of community services and decreased caregiver burden, in comparison to control subjects.