EPIC: An Intervention for Early-stage AD Dyads

The purpose of this study is to help early-stage individuals who have early-stage memory loss
or early stage dementia and their current or future care partners by providing education and
skill-training programs designed to reduce stress and distress, increase well-being and
quality of life, and plan for the future. About 160 early-stage dyads (person with
early-stage dementia and his/her care partner) will be enrolled across Arizona and Nevada
through Arizona State University.

People who decide to voluntarily participate in this program, will be asked to:

- Meet others with memory loss and their care partners.

- Attend six group sessions (2 hours & 30 minutes each) to learn strategies to help handle
new situations, reduce stress, improve mood, communicate better with each other, and
plan for the future.

- Participate in one 90-minute individualized session to address specific issues that may
be unique to each dyad's situation.

- Participate in five 2-hour confidential interviews that involve questions about
background, mood, and quality of life.

- Participate in interviews at the start, and again about 3, 6, 9 and 12 months, to help
us to continue to improve the program.

- Attend several monthly booster sessions after completion of the seven EPIC sessions.

Each person will receive up to $95 for completing all follow-up interviews, or $20- 25 for
each interview completed. All participants are offered the EPIC sessions shortly after their
first interview or shortly after their 3-month interview. Some participants will also attend
an additional free education workshop within one month of the initial assessment.

DYAD INCLUSION CRITERIA:

1. All participants - Care Partners (CP) and Early-Stage People (EP) - will be at least
18 years of age and speak, read, and write English or Spanish.

2. Eligible dyad relationships include spouse, adult-child relationships (e.g.,
daughters), and other close friends and family members.

3. Care partners must self-identify as the person who currently has or who expects to
have the most hands-on responsibility and ongoing involvement with the EP.

4. CPs must live with or have regular contact with the EP.

5. EPs and CPs must reside in a community setting.

EP INCLUSION CRITERIA:

1. Live at home rather than an institutional setting,

2. Have a confirmed diagnosis of OR symptoms consistent with early-stage dementia

3. Exhibit changes in memory as specified on the AD8 dementia screening tool.

4. Have a Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE)i score within a protocol-specified range.

5. Have a CP who is defined by the EP as being the unpaid "family member" who has or will
have primary responsibility for providing assistance to the EP

EP EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

1. Denying or not reporting any trouble with memory, based on self-report

2. Normal cognition, based on score derived from screening tool

3. If yes to BOTH:

1. severe mental illness or developmental disability before the age of 45

2. memory problems due to past head injury