The Future of Caregiver Efficacy Research: Commentary on “Long-Term Outcomes of the Benefit-Finding Group Intervention for Alzheimer Family Caregivers”

Successful caregiver interventions accomplish two goals. One, they address the pragmatics of care provision by educating caregivers about the illness of the care recipient, associated symptoms and their progression, and available support services. Didactic training is often paired with skills training to address the needs of the care recipient, including how to assist with functional disabilities, mange problematic behaviors, and access professional support services. Two, they facilitate caregivers’ ability to cope with the emotional challenges of caregiving inherent in watching a loved one suffer and decline, with little or no ability to mitigate the conditions that lead to suffering...