Family Support Groups within a Research Project on Dementia

This is a report of three different support groups for caregivers of patients with senile dementia who were participating in a larger study of Alzheimer disease. One group consisted of structural, open-ended sessions while the other two were closed, time-limited groups. For this sample the most cohesive and supportive group was one which was unstructured and time-limited. It also consisted of caregivers whose relationships to the patients were similar (i.e., spouses). Recommendations for research and practice are made.