Georgia Family Support Program

The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving is partnering with two Area Agencies on Aging to implement the Georgia Family Support Program, a translation of the New York University Caregiver Intervention. The NYUCI provides assistance to spousal caregivers of Alzheimer’s/Dementia patients and their families. This translation will focus on providing the intervention to families through the Northeast Georgia Area Agency on Aging and the Southern Crescent Area Agency on Aging.

The focus of the New York University Caregiver Intervention (NYUCI) is to diminish the negative impacts and increase the positive supportive elements of family caregiving. This is achieved through a combination of individual coaching sessions, family network consultations and additional support interventions, such as support groups and the availability of ad hoc counseling. The impact of this intervention on depression, caregiver appraisals of behavior problems, and delay in nursing home placement has been published in major scientific journals.

Participant criteria includes:
• Caregiver must be either spouse or significant other of someone with Alzheimer’s or related dementia.
• Caregiver and care recipient must live in the same dwelling.
• Family (loosely defined here to include friends/neighbors) must agree to participate in planning/discussion sessions.

The program consists of:
• A total of six consultations with the GFSP coach consisting of :
   o One session with the primary caregiver.
   o Four sessions with the caregiver and the support network.
   o One session with the primary caregiver
• The GFSP coach will be available on an ongoing basis to the caregiver and the family support network to answer questions and provide guidance and support after the sessions are completed.

Counties to be served: