The February 29 issue of AHRQ’s Health Care Innovations Exchange features profiles of three programs that provide individual and group education, coaching, and support sessions for patients with dementia and their caregivers. One program known as REACH VA used trained staff at 24 Veterans Affairs medical centers to provide customized support over a six-month period to caregivers of military veterans with dementia. The program improved caregivers’ skills and abilities and reduced their burden, frustrations, and level of depression, as well as the impact of depression on their daily lives. The program also freed up nearly two hours each day and reduced the number of problem behaviors exhibited by dementia patients. Select to read more profiles of innovations related to caregiver support on the Innovations Exchange Web site, which contains more than 675 innovations and 1,575 QualityTools.

http://www.innovations.ahrq.gov/inno...iver%20support