THE SHARE PROGRAM FOR EARLY-STAGE DEMENTIA CARE DYADS: PROMISING RESULTS FROM THE RCT

Receiving a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease brings with it many stressors and concerns for both the person receiving the diagnosis and his/her family caregiver. During this early stage of dementia it is possible to engage both care partners, the person living with dementia and the caregiver, in a psychosocial intervention that addresses future care. Yet, few programs actively engage both members of the care dyad in order to gain an understanding of each person’s preferences and for developing a plan targeting future care needs. This presentation describes the SHARE program (Support, Health, Activities, Resources, and Education), a six-session psychoeducational intervention for early-stage care dyads, and presents the feasibility and efficacy findings from a randomized controlled trial with 128 care dyads. Results indicate that compared to care partners in the control group, SHARE participants: 1) were able to construct a balanced care plan, 2) increased in their use of services (p