Dementia care programs lead to increased satisfaction among caregivers, according to the results of the D-CARE study compared to standard care.

The Dementia Care Study (D-CARE), a comprehensive research project conducted from June 2019 to August 2023, has published its findings in JAMA Internal Medicine. This study, led by investigators at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), aimed to provide real-world evidence on the effectiveness of dementia care delivery models.

The study included 2,176 persons with dementia and their caregivers. It was funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCS-2017C1-6534), the National Institute on Aging (R01 AG061078), and several other institutions. Additional support was provided by institutions such as the Yale Program on Aging, The National Center for Advancing Translational Science, and The Mexican Health and Aging Study, among others.

The D-CARE trial compared three different approaches to delivering dementia care: a health system-based program, a community-based program, and usual care. Participants were randomly assigned to one of these groups.

The primary findings, previously published in JAMA, showed no differences in patient behavioural symptoms or caregiver strain, depression, or distress between the dementia care approaches. However, the new report reveals some encouraging developments for caregivers.

Caregivers in the community-based program reported slightly more satisfaction overall. Moreover, caregiver rating of dementia care quality was reported to be slightly higher in the community-based dementia care program compared to usual care.

Perhaps the most significant finding is the improvement in caregiver self-efficacy, or confidence in their ability to care for their loved ones. Both the health system-based and community-based care approaches showed improved caregiver self-efficacy compared to usual care.

Caregiver satisfaction with care was greater in both the health-system and community-based care approaches than in those receiving usual care. These findings underscore the importance of evaluating caregiver perspectives in addition to traditional health outcomes.

Dr. David Reuben, Archstone Professor of Geriatrics at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and principal investigator of the D-CARE study, stated, "Even when standardized clinical outcomes do not change, caregivers notice and value improvements in the way dementia care is delivered."

Data management and statistics for the D-CARE study were performed by the Yale Data Coordinating Center. The study was conducted at four clinical sites: Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Baylor Scott & White Health, the University of Texas Medical Branch, and Geisinger Health.

The D-CARE study will continue to examine the effects of the dementia programs on health care utilization. The findings suggest that improvements in the way dementia care is delivered can make a real difference in caregivers' experience of caring for a loved one with dementia.

Dementia care programs lead to increased satisfaction among caregivers, according to the results of the D-CARE study compared to standard care.