ALZHEIMER'S CAREGIVERS RATING OF COMMUNICATION AND COPING BEHAVIOR

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Communication problems are one of the most difficult issues faced by people with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and their caregivers. It contributes to increased stress, mortality, and decreased quality of life for both AD caregivers and care-receivers. Despite a large literature on caregiver burden and coping, little research has been done on how people with AD cope in general and in particular how they cope with communication problems. The literature suggests that as cognitive impairment progresses, the need for coping strategies by the person with AD increases. Current cognitive tests neither look for nor give credit to coping behaviors and thus may miss important signs of functional behavior. Thus we propose to examine these behaviors of persons with AD by developing a new instrument called the Communicative Coping Behavior Checklist (CCBC). The proposed checklist will measure the frequency and effectiveness of communicative coping behaviors as rated by 70 couples comprised of normal or persons with AD and their caregivers. For this study, the caregivers or knowledgeable informants will observe and rate communicative coping behaviors for a two week interval, twice in two years. The long-term goal of this research program is to identify and highlight AD communicative coping behaviors and ultimately to improve communication and the quality of life of AD caregivers and care-receivers through awareness and rehabilitation.