VA Cultivating Access to Resources, Education, and Skills for Dementia Caregivers (VACARES)

Inclusion Criteria:

Inclusion criteria -- Participants must:

• be adults (age 18)
• report distress associated with being the primary caregiver for a Veteran family member with all-cause dementia
• reporting at least 2 of the following 6 items at baseline assessment: felt overwhelmed, felt like they often needed to cry, were angry or frustrated, felt they were cut off from family or friends, reported moderate to high levels of general stress, or felt their health had declined
• provide at least one hour of care (supervision or direct assistance) per week over the past 3 months (other sources of caregiving for the Veteran with dementia can also be utilized; e.g., respite, home health aide, other family members, etc.)
• be proficient in spoken and written English
• be capable of providing informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

Exclusion criteria -- Potential participants will be screened and excluded for:

• current or lifetime history of any psychiatric disorder with psychotic features
• prominent suicidal or homicidal ideation
• having met DSM-IV criteria for drug or alcohol abuse or dependence (except nicotine) within the past six months
• presence of alcohol intoxication (by breathalyzer) or alcohol withdrawal (by exam) during study recruitment or participation
• diagnosis of probable or possible dementia
• a Telephone Cognitive Screen score of < 20
• participation in another caregiver intervention within the past year
• lack of regular access to a telephone
• illness that would prevent 24 months of study participation
• planned transfer of care receiver to another caregiver or nursing home within 12 months