Intervention for an Australian carer of a person with dementia: a single case study

Carers of people living with dementia experience significant levels of carer burden which results in adverse impacts to their physical, mental, and social wellbeing. Optimising carer wellbeing has direct benefits to carers as well as those they provide care for, and is strategically aligned to National Framework for Action on Dementia. This case study describes in detail an Australian carers progression through the STrAtegies for RelaTives (START) program at a University Psychology Clinic. Video recordings, standardised measures and surveys were utilised to provide key insights into her experience and outcomes throughout therapy and post-intervention. Results indicated reliable change and clinically significant change to her mood, burden, and quality-of-life. Dyadic therapeutic effects for the person with dementia were also evident, with informant report indicating reliable change and clinically significant change in quality of life and behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia. These results are aligned to recent literature on the feasibility of this manualised psychosocial intervention for Australian carer’s of people with dementia.