RELAXATION THERAPY FOR ALZHEIMERS CAREGIVERS

描述：(改编自调查员摘要)病人的照顾者 患有阿尔茨海默病和相关疾病(ADRD)的人经历了一段很棒的经历 会对他们的情绪和身体产生负面影响的压力 幸福。尽管情感和身体之间的关系 健康已经提出了很长一段时间，最近在 方法论技术现在已经允许对这些进行经验测试 理论。放松疗法(RT)是一种护士可以使用的技术 帮助减少压力的负面影响。RT是一种行为 可以减轻压力，促进放松，提高生活质量的干预 生命，并增强免疫能力。在这项研究中，RT对大鼠脑电活动的影响 老年人照顾者的松弛反应、生活质量和免疫能力 ADRD患者将接受检查。ADRD患者的照顾者将被 请求参加放松疗法干预。跟随 基线测试后，受试者将被随机分为2组。第一组将 立即启动RT，第2组将成为等待名单控制组。 受试者将在基线和RT的4周和8周结束时进行研究。 干预后2个月进行随访检测。第二组将 交叉，作为等待名单在2个月后开始RT干预 对照组。RT的有效性将通过评估 放松反应、生活质量和免疫反应。的程度 将使用生物仪器测量肌肉来确定放松程度 张力、皮肤电反应、皮肤温度、血容量脉搏和 呼吸深度和呼吸频率。生活质量将通过以下方式确定 评估身体、心理、社交和情绪健康的问卷。 将被调查的调解压力的个人资源包括Sense 关于连贯性、应对资源和社会支持。评估 免疫能力将侧重于测量细胞介导的免疫反应， 尤其是自然杀伤细胞的数量和功能。重要护理 干预措施包括帮助照顾者适应他们的情况和 以达到他们尽可能高的健康水平。如果RT引发了一个 放松状态，改善生活质量，增强免疫能力 这些照顾者的研究结果可能具有重要的临床意义 为符合成本效益的健康促进计划提供模式 ADRD患者的照顾者。

DESCRIPTION: (Adapted from investigator's abstract) Caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's Disease and related disorders (ADRD) experience a great deal of stress which can adversely affect their emotional and physical well-being. Although the relationships between emotional and physical health have been proposed for a long time, recent developments in methodological techniques have now allowed empirical testing of these theories. Relaxation therapy (RT) is a technique which nurses can use to help decrease the negative effects of stress. RT is a behavioral intervention that can reduce stress, promote relaxation, increase quality of life, and enhance immunocompetence. In this study the effect of RT on the relaxation response, quality of life, and immunocompetence in caregivers of ADRD patients will be examined. Caregivers of ADRD patients will be solicited to participate in a relaxation therapy intervention. Following baseline testing, subjects will be randomized into 2 groups. Group 1 will immediately start RT and group 2 will be a wait-list control group. Subjects will be studied at baseline and at the end of 4 and 8 weeks of RT. Follow-up testing will be done 2 months post-intervention. Group 2 will crossover to begin the RT intervention after 2 months as the wait-list control group. The effectiveness of RT will be evaluated by assessing the relaxation response, quality of life, and immune response. The degree of relaxation will be determined using bioinstrumentation to measure muscle tension, electrodermal response, skin temperature, blood volume pulse, and depth and rate of breathing. Quality of life will be determined using questionnaires that assess physical mental social and emotional health. Personal resources mediating stress that will be investigated include sense of coherence, coping resources, and social support. Assessment of immunocompetence will focus on measuring the cell-mediated immune response, particularly natural killer cell number and function. Important nursing interventions include assisting caregivers to adapt to their situation and to achieve their highest possible level of wellness. If RT elicits a relaxed state, improves quality of life, and enhances immunocompetence in these caregivers, the findings could have important clinical significance for providing a model for a cost effective health promotion program for caregivers of ADRD patients.