The NYU Caregiver Intervention has gone through nearly three decades of research that has shown many long-term, proven benefits to the caregiver, his or her family members, and the person living with dementia.
The NYUCI was initially evaluated in an unprecedented 20-year randomized controlled trial (RCT) funded by the National Institutes of Health. The study showed that involving the family was the key factor leading to positive outcomes for the caregiver. The specific findings showed that caregivers had:
• Increased satisfaction with emotional and practical support
• Fewer symptoms of depression
• Reduced stress
• Improved physical health
• Reported better relationships with their family members
One of the most recognized findings of the research, though, is the ability of the caregiver to keep his or her family member with dementia at home longer. In the study, those families who participated in the NYUCI were able to keep their family member at home 1.5 years longer, on average, than families in the study who did not take part in the NYUCI.
Select NYUCI-Related Research Articles
1993:
Mittelman, M. S., Ferris, S. H., Steinberg, G., Shulman, E., Mackell, J. A., Ambinder, A., & Cohen, J. (1993). An intervention that delays institutionalization of Alzheimer's disease patients: Treatment of spouse-caregivers. The Gerontologist, 33(6), 730-740. doi:10.1093/geront/33.6.730
2004:
Mittelman, M. S., Roth, D. L., Coon, D. W., & Haley, W. E. (2004). Sustained benefit of supportive intervention for depressive symptoms in caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. American Journal of Psychiatry, 161(5), 850-856. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.161.5.850
2006:
Mittelman, M. S., Haley, W. E., Clay, O. J., & Roth, D. L. (2006). Improving caregiver well-being delays nursing home placement of patients with Alzheimer disease. Neurology, 67(9), 1592-1599. doi:10.1212/01.wnl.0000242727.81172.91
2007:
Mittelman, M. S., Roth, D. L., Clay, O. J., & Haley, W. E. (2007). Preserving health of Alzheimer caregivers: Impact of a spouse caregiver intervention. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 15(9), 780-789. doi:10.1097/JGP.0b013e31805d858a
2008:
Gaugler, J. E., Roth, D. L., Haley, W. E., & Mittelman, M. S. (2008). Can counseling and support reduce burden and depressive symptoms in caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease during the transition to institutionalization? Results from the New York University Caregiver Intervention study. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 56(3), 421-428. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2007.01593.x
2010:
Burns, A., Mittelman, M., Cole, C., Morris, J., Winter, J., Page, S., & Brodaty, H. (2010). Transcultural influences in dementia care: Observations from a psychosocial intervention study. Dementia and geriatric cognitive disorders, 30(5), 417-423. doi:10.1159/000314860
2011:
Gaugler, J., Roth, D. L., Haley, W. E., & Mittelman, M. S. (2011). Modeling trajectories and transitions: Results from the New York University Caregiver Intervention. Nursing research, 60(3 Suppl), S28. doi:10.1097/NNR.0b013e318216007d
2012:
Luchsinger, J., Mittelman, M., Mejia, M., Silver, S., Lucero, R. J., Ramirez, M., & Teresi, J. A. (2012). The Northern Manhattan Caregiver Intervention Project: A randomised trial testing the effectiveness of a dementia caregiver intervention in Hispanics in New York City. BMJ open, 2(5), e001941. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2012-001941
2013:
Gaugler, J. E., Reese, M., & Mittelman, M. S. (2013). Effects of the NYU Caregiver Intervention-adult child on residential care placement. The Gerontologist, 53(6), 985-997. doi:10.1093/geront/gns193
2015:
Gaugler, J. E., Reese, M., & Mittelman, M. S. (2015). Effects of the Minnesota adaptation of the NYU Caregiver Intervention on depressive symptoms and quality of life for adult child caregivers of persons with dementia. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 23(11), 1179-1192. doi:10.1016/j.jagp.2015.06.007