Bathing Persons With Alzheimer's Disease aT Home (The BATH Study)

NCT00062569 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: IA0044R01NR007893-01A1
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 90
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study will evaluate the effectiveness of a 3-week reminiscence intervention applied during bathing persons with Alzheimer's disease (AD) in decreasing resistiveness to care (RTC), relieving patient discomfort, and improving spouse caregiver appraisals of burden, capabilities and confidence while bathing the patient. Reminiscence provides opportunities for the patient to feel good and recall pleasant memories, easily done by caregivers in a home setting. Home visits and telephone calls from trained nurses provide coaching and practice for caregivers for the preliminary phase of this study. Each couple will be enrolled in the study for approximately 9 weeks. The study will recruit 100 patient/spouse caregiver couples randomly divided into one of two groups: reminiscence with coaching, or bathing support (control). Bathing support will be provided to participants in both conditions including: individualized assessment; education regarding bathing techniques for people with dementia; and individualized problem solving. In addition to the bathing support intervention, participants in the experimental group will receive a pleasant memories interview and reminiscence script with coaching for implementation. Caregivers will keep a journal of their experiences in bathing the care recipient.

Conditions

Alzheimer Disease

Keywords

Alzheimer disease; Resistiveness to baths; Caregiver stress; Bathing support intervention; Reminiscence; Agitated behavior; Resistiveness to care

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Care Recipient: Resistiveness to care; discomfort

  Baseline, post 3-week intervention, and 3-week follow-up.

• Caregiver: Self-efficacy; interactive behaviors

  Baseline, post 3-week intervention, and 3-week follow-up.

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Caregiver burden & satisfaction

  Baseline, post 3-week intervention, and 3-week follow-up.

Study Arms (2)

1

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: Bathing Support Intervention (BSI)

2

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: Caregiver reminiscence with coaching

Interventions

Bathing Support Intervention (BSI) BEHAVIORAL

Bathing Support Intervention - Review of caregiver current practices and perceptions and care recipient behavioral symptoms associated with bathing with pattern analysis based on observation; skill building for bathing and communication techniques; coaching for implementation

1

Caregiver reminiscence with coaching BEHAVIORAL

BSI plus Reminiscence - BSI as above plus caregiver interview to ascertain pleasant long-term memories (e.g. stories, pictures, music) developed into a "crib sheet" for caregiver use conversationally prior to and during the bath

2

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 60 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Have a diagnosis of probable Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder according to standard criteria.
• Have functional dependence in bathing;
• Demonstrate resistiveness to care during bathing;
• Live in the community in a home setting (house, apartment, condominium);
• Have a primary caregiver spouse or partner who lives with the care recipient and agrees to be in the study; and
• Have no anticipated admission for long term care within 3 months.
• Must be married couples or life partners living with Alzheimer's disease or related disorder living within a 15-mile radius of Boston College.
• Spouse or caregiver partner is the primary caregiver, including assistance with bathing.
• Women and minorities are encouraged to participate.

You may not qualify if:

• Severe concomitant medical conditions of patient or spouse.
• Not fluent in English.
• Couple resides in an institutional setting.
• Couple anticipates a significant change of living situation within three months.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR): lead

Study Sites (1)

Boston College, William F. Connell School of Nursing

Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, 02467-3812, United States

Location

Related Publications (3)

• Mahoney EK, Hurley AC, Volicer L, Bell M, Gianotis P, Hartshorn M, Lane P, Lesperance R, MacDonald S, Novakoff L, Rheaume Y, Timms R, Warden V. Development and testing of the Resistiveness to Care Scale. Res Nurs Health. 1999 Feb;22(1):27-38. doi: 10.1002/(sici)1098-240x(199902)22:13.0.co;2-t.

  PMID: 9928961 BACKGROUND

• Moss SE, Polignano E, White CL, Minichiello MD, Sunderland T. Reminiscence group activities and discourse interaction in Alzheimer's disease. J Gerontol Nurs. 2002 Aug;28(8):36-44. doi: 10.3928/0098-9134-20020801-09.

  PMID: 12219552 BACKGROUND

• Mahoney E, Volicer L, Hurley A. (2000). Managing Challenging Behaviors in Persons with Dementia. Baltimore, MD: Health Professions Press.

  BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Alzheimer Disease; Caregiver Burden; Psychomotor Agitation

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Dementia; Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Tauopathies; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Neurocognitive Disorders; Mental Disorders; Stress, Psychological; Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior; Dyskinesias; Neurologic Manifestations; Psychomotor Disorders; Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Aberrant Motor Behavior in Dementia

Study Officials

• Ellen K. Mahoney, DNS, RN

  Boston College, William F. Connell School of Nursing

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: NIH

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 9, 2003
• First Posted: June 12, 2003
• Study Start: September 1, 2002
• Primary Completion: June 1, 2006
• Study Completion: June 1, 2006
• Last Updated: March 12, 2009

Record last verified: 2009-03

Locations

US (1)