Participants sought for study of caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients
Participants are being sought for a new study on the daily mood and sleep in caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients being conducted by researchers in the Department of Psychology.
The project is the first study designed to learn how sleep disturbances in persons diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease affect their family members, with particular emphasis on the effects of patient sleep on the daily negative and positive moods of persons who care for them.
Past research has found that sleep disturbance in the patient is one of the most common and problematic stressors for family caregivers, researchers say. The strain that sleep disturbances place on caregivers is so significant that it has been identified as one of the main reasons for patient institutionalization.
The study is the dissertation project of fourth-year graduate student Anna ?kerstedt and her mentor, Rebecca Ready, assistant professor of Psychology.
“Understanding day-to-day functioning in family caregivers can provide a way to better understand the stresses of caregiving and will provide information to improve quality of life for patients and family members who care for them,” ?kerstedt says.
Alzheimer’s disease is a devastating and prevalent disorder that affects more than 5.1 million individuals in the United States. The majority of these people are being cared for at home by members of their family. The family members who care for an Alzheimer’s patient are faced with many stressors and are themselves at risk for depression and health problems, ?kerstedt says. “Improving mood and sleep in patients and family caregivers may increase their quality of life and allow persons with Alzheimer’s disease to live in their own homes for a long period of time,” she says.
People age 21 and over who are living with a relative (e.g., parent, spouse, sibling, grandparent) diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease may be eligible to participate in the research. The study involves one in-person interview with the principal investigator, ?kerstedt, which can take place in the participant’s home. There are also brief daily interviews over the telephone for eight days. Participants will report on the patient’s sleep, their own sleep, and their daily mood. All participants will be reimbursed a $10 gift certificate to Starbucks/Dunkin Donuts. All participants will also be entered in a lottery to win one of four $50 cash prices.
For more information about the research study or to participate, contact Anna ?kerstedt at 545-5258 or aakerste@psych.umass.edu
June 7, 2009.
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