Evidence-Based Program: Stress-Busting Program for Family Caregivers

The Stress-Busting Program is a multi-component program evidence-based program that provides support to family caregivers of persons with dementia or a chronic illness.  It is proven to:

• Improve the quality of life of family caregivers who are providing care to an older loved one
• Help caregivers manage their stress and cope better with their lives

In the Stress-Busting Program for Family Caregivers ™, caregivers will:

• Learn about stress and its effects
• Practice stress management techniques
• Develop problem solving skills

The program content includes stress and the impact of long term stress, managing difficult behaviors/conditions, grief, loss, and depression, coping strategies, positive thinking, taking care of yourself, and choosing a path to wellness. Each week a different stress management technique is demonstrated. The program was originally developed for caregivers caring for someone with dementia, but there are now adaptations available for chronic illness, and Spanish language. 

I was so overwhelmed and unable to cope that I truly felt I was swimming against a strong current with no hope of reaching my destination. With the Stress-Busting Program I felt I had been tossed a life preserver and could see a glimmer of hope on the horizon. The current where I swim still gets rough sometimes, but I now have the tools to handle it and join the flow instead of fight it. -Family Caregiver Participant

• Target audience: Friends or family members who are providing care to an older loved one.
• Health outcomes:
  • Improve the quality of life of family caregivers who are providing care to an older loved one
  • Help caregivers manage their stress and cope better with their lives
  • Caregivers will learn about stress and its effects and practice stress management techniques
  • Caregivers will develop problem solving skills
• Delivered by: 2 Trained lay leaders/facilitators
• Program type: Group
• Format: In-person in community or remote

Note: It is permissible to use a combination of remote (i.e. videoconference) and in-person implementation in the same session or during a class series. For example: 10 participants join by Zoom and 10 participants attend in a senior center and receive instruction at the same time.

• Length: One 1.5-hour session per week for 9 weeks
• Training: Remote
• Professional required: No, to implement the program, organizations are required to send two individuals to Master Training. After the Master Trainers have completed one participant workshop, they can train group facilitators.
• Accessibility adaptations available: Yes, the program is available in an online format
• Cultural adaptations available: Both programs have gone through a cultural adaptation for Spanish-speaking participants.
• Available in languages other than English: Spanish
• Data collection: Data is collected from implementation sites on an optional basis.
• Topic(s):
  • Alzheimer's Disease/Dementia
  • Chronic Disease

As the State Director for the family caregiver program I have seen a tremendous change in the attitudes of the families. South Dakota facilitators have taught over 15 Stress-Busting classes throughout the state and all have made the same comment, it’s like a light bulb went off in our families. They understand how important it is to take care of themselves. Most important, they have realistic expectations of themselves. - Bobbie Jo Leggett, South Dakota State Program Director, CAREgivers by AG

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