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The savvy caregiver program: developing and testing a transportable dementia family caregiver training program
Hepburn KW, Lewis M, Sherman CW, Tornatore J.. The Gerontologist, 2003-12-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Purpose This article reports on the development and field testing of the Savvy Caregiver Program, the transformation of a successful, academic-based caregiver psychoeducational program into a self-contained program that can be adopted in other locations. Design and methods Program development began with a prototype of a 12-hr course with the aims of introducing family caregivers to the caregiving role, providing them with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to carry out that role, and alerting them to self-care issues. Results from initial field trials dictated a substantial revision of the workshop materials. The next version was field tested in multiple sites in southern rural Minnesota, Colorado, and Alaska. In this expanded testing, participants evaluated the program, and cross-group comparisons were conducted by use of well-established caregiver well-being scales. Results Virtually all respondents reported increased skill, knowledge, and confidence, and all would recommend the program to others. A preintervention versus postintervention analysis indicates that caregivers' reaction to the overall behavior of the persons for whom they provide care (i.e., "total reaction"), their self-reported burden, and their beliefs about caregiving (emotional enmeshment) changed significantly in directions indicating better caregiver well-being. Implications Results suggest that it is feasible to translate a research-based caregiver intervention into a packaged program that can be adopted in other settings without the direct involvement of the program initiators.
Key findings
- Results from initial field trials dictated a substantial revision of the workshop materials.
- Results Virtually all respondents reported increased skill, knowledge, and confidence, and all would recommend the program to others.
- A preintervention versus postintervention analysis indicates that caregivers' reaction to the overall behavior of the persons for whom they provide care (i.e., "total reaction"), their self-reported burden, and their beliefs about caregiving (emotional enmeshment) changed significantly in directions indicating better caregiver well-being.
- Implications Results suggest that it is feasible to translate a research-based caregiver intervention into a packaged program that can be adopted in other settings without the direct involvement of the program initiators.
Why it matters
The Savvy Caregiver Program, a 12-hour training for family caregivers, was tested across several sites and caregivers reported increased skill, knowledge, and confidence, with improved well-being measures. This is about supporting caregivers, not about treating, curing, or preventing Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 41/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (The Gerontologist) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | The Gerontologist: journal h-index 238 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2003 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 154 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 6.2 citations a year over 25 year(s) since 2003 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 5.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 6 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 18 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Jane B. Tornatore: h-index 13 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Minnesota: institution h-index 1,568 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 14704391) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 41 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Hepburn, K. W., Lewis, M., Sherman, C. W., & Tornatore, J. (2003). The savvy caregiver program: developing and testing a transportable dementia family caregiver training program. The Gerontologist. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/43.6.908
Vancouver
Hepburn KW, Lewis M, Sherman CW, Tornatore J. The savvy caregiver program: developing and testing a transportable dementia family caregiver training program. The Gerontologist. 2003. doi:10.1093/geront/43.6.908. PMID: 14704391.
BibTeX
@article{hepburn2003-14704391,
author = {Hepburn, K. W. and Lewis, M. and Sherman, C. W. and Tornatore, J.},
title = {{The savvy caregiver program: developing and testing a transportable dementia family caregiver training program}},
journal = {The Gerontologist},
year = {2003},
doi = {10.1093/geront/43.6.908},
pmid = {14704391},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/43.6.908}
}
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