Telephone Networks Connect Caregiving Families of Alzheimer's Victims

The telephone network, a new concept in social support, brought family caregivers of Alzheimer's victims together over the telephone in a rotating pattern of twosomes. Five caregiving spouses and five adult children were matched and connected to each other over a 3-month period. The program included 25 audiotaped mini-lectures accessed over the telephone that guided the networks and provided information about Alzheimer's disease. Topics ranged from day-to-day care, to legal, financial and medical issues. The tapes are summarized in workbooks that include instructions for those who wish to start a telephone program.