Project COPE:Managing Dementia at Home

Inclusion Criteria:

• Care-recipients must have a MMSE score < 24 and a diagnosis of dementia, live in the community, and either need help with one or more daily activities and/or have one or more behavioral occurrences. Caregivers must be a relative, at least 21 years of age, be English speaking, have a telephone, either live with the care-recipient (CR) or spend at least 48 hours per week in direct oversight or caring for him/her; plan to live in the area for 9 months, report upset with CR function dependence or behavioral occurrences.

Exclusion Criteria:

• The CG-CR dyad will be excluded if CR has had more than 3 hospitalizations within the past 12 months, are in treatment for life-threatening cancer, have schizophrenia or a bipolar disorder, have dementia secondary to head trauma, have a MMSE score = 0 and are bed-bound (defined as confinement to bed or chair for at least 22 hours a day for at least four of the previous seven days); or they are enrolled in a clinical trial of pharmacological treatment for agitation. Also, the dyad will be excluded if the CG had more than 3 hospitalizations within the past 12 months or is in treatment for life-threatening cancer; is involved in another clinical trial of psychosocial or educational interventions for caregivers; or plans to place their family member in a nursing home within the next 9-months.