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Training Caregivers of Stroke Victims

An Evidence-Based Practice

Description

The Training Caregivers of Stroke Victims program trains non-professional caregivers in basic nursing and facilitation of personal care techniques essential for the daily management of disabled stroke survivors. Caregivers receive 3-5 individual education sessions at the health care facility, followed by a home session to adapt skills to the home environment. Each training session includes information on stroke in combination with hands-on training tailored to each survivor's needs. The training includes lifting and handling techniques, facilitation of mobility and transfers, continence, nutrition, positioning, gait facilitation, personal activities for daily living, and communication. The hospital team also provides counseling and advice about local resources.

Goal / Mission

The goal of the training program is to provide skills essential for the daily management of stroke survivors.

Results / Accomplishments

In a randomized controlled trial the training group was compared to a conventional care group. The cost of care over one year was significantly lower for patients in the caregiver training group ($18,087 vs. $24,619, p = 0.001). After one year, trained caregivers experienced significantly less caregiver burden (p = 0.0001), anxiety (p = 0.0001), and depression (p = 0.0001) than the conventional care group. Trained caregivers also had a higher quality of life (EuroQol score 80 vs. 70, p = 0.001). Patient mortality, institutionalization, and disability were not influenced by caregiver training. However, patients reported significantly less anxiety (p < 0.0001), depression (p < 0.0001), and better quality of life (p = 0.009) in the caregiver training group.

About this Promising Practice

Organization(s)
Guy's, King's, and St. Thomas's School of Medicine
Primary Contact
Lalit Kalra
Department of Medicine
Guy's, King's, and St. Thomas's School of Medicine
London SE5 9P
lalit.kalra@kcl.ac.uk
http://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/healthprof/educa...
Topics
Health / Heart Disease & Stroke
Health / Wellness & Lifestyle
Health / Disabilities
Organization(s)
Guy's, King's, and St. Thomas's School of Medicine
Source
BMJ (British Medical Journal)
Date of publication
May 2004
Location
England
For more details
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC406319...

Related Promising Practices

  1. Stroke Family Support Organizer
  2. Fitness and Mobility Exercise Program (FAME)
  3. Telephone Intervention for Family Caregivers of Stroke Survivors
  4. Exercise Training for Stroke Survivors
  5. Community-Based Secondary Stroke Prevention
  6. Multifaceted Mass Media Campaign on the Warning Signs of Stroke

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Related Content for: Training Caregivers of Stroke Victims

An Evidence-Based Practice meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes at a minimum: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program implementation steps, and outcomes that have demonstrated program success in achieving the program goal in one or more localities.
  2. The results from an evaluation of the program include quantitative measures showing improvement in the outcome(s) of interest after the implementation of the program (i.e. increase in smoking cessation, not just the delivery of a smoking cessation program). The outcome measure(s) is/are compared at relevant time periods before and after the intervention or program implementation. Alternatively, the evaluation study compares the outcome(s) between an intervention group and an appropriate control group.
  3. The study is of peer-review quality and presents numbers in a scientific manner; measurements of precision and reliability are included (e.g. confidence intervals, standard errors), results from statistical tests show a significant difference or change in the outcome measure(s), and relevant point estimates and p-values are presented. Note: if the results from an evaluation of a program are presented in a scientific manner and the outcome measure is improved compared to the baseline measurement or the control group but the difference is not statistically significant, the practice is classified as effective and not evidence-based.
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