Long Distance Caregivers

A long distance caregiver program was developed by the Alzheimer's Association of Los Angeles to provide services to caregivers living at a distance from Los Angeles. Data on demographic characteristics and service use were compared between 90 long distance and 187 local caregivers. Similar to local caregiving families, the most frequently used services by long distance families included written materials, the website, and the telephone helpline. Satisfaction with services was high. Open-ended responses provided further information on unmet service needs and barriers. Results demonstrate the feasibility of a program to provide family consultation for long distance caregivers of a relative with dementia. Future work needs to focus on assisting long distance caregivers with family disagreements about care and long distance care recipients who live alone.