Metropolitan Jewish Health System – Brooklyn, New York

This program will evaluate caregiver counseling as a plan benefit under Medicaid managed Long-Term Care, an important and emerging strategy of Medicaid Programs nationwide. Medically complex adults and their caregivers will be provided the NYU Caregiver Intervention as part of managed care. The population in New York City consists of a high proportion of Spanish, Russian and Chinese-speaking immigrants who have traditionally had very little access to caregiver supports. Dr. Mary Mittelman, New York University, will be assisting with the implementation of this program.

In caregiver/recipient home and in health center

Very low income, immigrant and ESL patients age 50+ with Alzheimer’s Disease

Spousal caregivers of very low income, immigrant, ESL patients 50+ with Alzheimer’s Disease

• 20 patients / 20 caregivers

• 1 dedicated social worker

• 6 caregiver counseling sessions

• Follow-up educational and assessment session

• Weekly support groups

• Specific counseling provided as needed.

NYU staff will provide clinical training and ongoing consultation to the social worker.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Mary Mittelman

Investigator's Web Site

Site Director: Caryn Daniels

Agency Website

Project Update - April 1, 2008

In Brooklyn, we've initiated the delivery of counseling services to spousal caregivers of dementia patients. Many steps have been completed, leading us to this point. Below is a brief description of the steps which led up to the delivery of the caregiver support services.

1. We staffed the Caregiver Counseling position with a Masters-level Social Worker, who is responsible for both the project management aspects of this new program and the delivery of counseling services, drawing on her experience as a social worker and as a manager.

2. We successfully completed an IRB (Institutional Review Board) application through NYU Medical School. The final approval, encompassing a detailed project plan, research methods, and consent documents, was granted in January.

3. We developed an Educational and Counseling Curriculum: We integrated materials from NYU together with our own training materials (used with professional caregivers) and materials from our Quality Care Connections partner agency in Vermont. Based on these sources, we structured a curriculum for use over the course of the formal counseling period. We have tried to leave flexibility within this structure for the counselor to help caregivers deal with their immediate concerns and needs in each session. We hope to disseminate this curriculum within the Quality Care Connections network and beyond.

4. We identified eligible participants in the pilot project. HomeFirst mined its member database to identify 32 members with dementia diagnosis who have spousal caregivers.

5. We contacted and recruited pilot participants.

6. We began delivery of counseling services. The spousal caregivers are currently receiving in-home counseling and dementia education.

Keep checking this page to stay up-to-date on the Metropolitan Jewish Health System Project.

We'll be providing pictures of the sites and interviews with researchers, agency staff and participating caregivers.

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