The Chronic Grief Management Intervention Study

The purpose of this study is to test how an online group-based intervention affects dementia caregivers whose family members live in long term care facilities. The study aims to improve caregivers’:

1. Knowledge about late-stage dementia.
2. Communication and conflict resolution skills.
3. Skills managing their reactions to loss, including chronic grief. 

Caregivers will be randomly assigned (like the toss of a coin) to either receive the 8-week group-based Chronic Grief Management Intervention-Video-streamed online (CGMI-V) or to a minimal treatment condition. Caregivers in the CGMI-V condition will participate in an online video group for 8 consecutive weeks in up to 60-minute sessions. Caregivers in the minimal treatment will receive written information about late-stage Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia (ADRD) only. All caregivers will take part in 3 assessments over the phone at baseline, 8, and 24 weeks.

Length of participation is 24 weeks. Payment for participation is available.

In order to participate you must meet the following criteria:

• Are 21 years of age or older.
• Are a caregiver to a person with a documented diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease or a Related Dementia (ADRD) residing in any type of unit in a long term care facility
• Are able to read and speak English.
• Have basic computer literacy and in-home internet access.

You will be excluded from the study if any of the following criteria apply to you:

• Are a caregiver to a person who does not have a diagnosis of dementia.
• Are currently attending support group for grief management.

This is a partial list of eligibility requirements.