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CAREGIVER SUPPORT

Caring for Caregivers
At the Barlow Center, we believe the caregiver is as important in the spectrum of care as the patient.  Those closest to the patient are greatly affected -- emotionally, mentally and physically.  The long, progressive decline of a loved one places extraordinary stress on the immediate family, particularly the spouse or child, who typically serve as the primary caregiver.  Given the situation, most caregivers experience some form of depression, chronic fatigue, social isolation, remorse and agitation.

Not One Person’s Illness
According to Mary Mittelman, Dr. P.H., Director of the Psychosocial Research and Support Program at NYU’s Silberstein Institute, “Alzheimer’s disease is not one person’s illness.  It is a tragedy for the patient – and the family.”  Though the tragedy of Alzheimer’s cannot be averted at this time, its impact can be moderated.  This is the premise of the NYU Spouse-Caregiver Intervention Program, a unique and influential model of support for families as they struggle to care for a loved one slipping slowly, inexorably into dementia.

Mary Mittelman, Dr. P.H.

Milestone Study
Unlike other caregiver interventions, the Silberstein Institute’s program actively includes the family in addition to the primary caregiver, and most importantly, it has no time limit on participation.  Committed to the program and to their patients, the Silberstein Institute and Dr. Mittelman sought to prove scientifically through a clinical trial, that this type of intervention lengthens the time that caregivers are able to keep patients at home, while simultaneously improving the well-being of the caregivers.  The study, the largest and most rigorous of its kind, showed compelling results – this type of intervention dramatically reduced the need for nursing home placement, lessened caregiver depression and social isolation, and improved family support for the caregiver.

National Recognition
Due to these groundbreaking results, Dr. Mittelman earned the lead article in the Journal of the American Medical Association.  Furthermore, the National Institute of Health subsequently awarded NYU funding to create a Caregiver Core within its Alzheimer’s Disease Center, one of only two such cores in the U.S.  Over the years, this grant has enabled NYU to establish routine procedures of assessment, education, and support for all family caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients who pass through its doors.

Opportunity to Participate
Presently, the Silberstein Institute and Dr. Mittelman are engaged in several multinational studies to reduce caregiver stress through psychosocial and pharmacologic interventions. 
For more information, to participate in a clinical study, or to obtain Dr. Mittelman’s handbook for families, please call the Silberstein Institute at 212.263.5710