Telephone Group Intervention for Older Stroke Caregivers

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the effectiveness of telephone groups for older, spousal caregivers of stroke survivors. METHOD: The 88 caregivers were mostly white females who were 70 years old on average and who had been providing care for an average of 3 years. Participants were randomized to treatment or control conditions, followed for 6 months, and assessed for depression, burden, loneliness, stress, and competence. Treatment participants engaged in an eight-session psychoeducational telephone group. RESULTS: Treatment participants showed decreased stress over time but were not significantly different from control participants in the amount of change in stress. Control participants showed a significant increase in burden during the study; treatment participants showed a significant increase in competence.