Impact of a Therapeutic Educational Programme for Alzheimer's Disease Patients and Their Caregiver in Community Dwelling, on the AD Patient's Quality of Life

This study is designed to determine whether a therapeutic educational programme for both AD patients, in community dwelling, and their primary caregivers improves patient's quality of life, after two months.

Design : This study is a monocentric randomised controlled intervention trial

Population : One hundred and seventy dyads 'patient-caregiver' in which the patient suffers from mild to moderately severe Alzheimer's disease patients (MMSE 11 to 26), lives in community dwelling and has a primary caregiver will be included during eighteen months. The primary caregiver is define as a person living with the patient or providing care at least 3 times a week or 8 hours per week; he/she isn't a professional. Eighty five dyad will be include in the intervention group (group A) and eighty five in the control group (group B).

Outcome : Our primary endpoint is the AD patient's quality of life assessed by Logsdon's Quality of life in Alzheimer's Disease scale (Qol-AD) reported by the caregiver at two months.

Our secondary endpoints are caregiver's burden assessed by the Zarit Burden Inventory, frequency and severity of behavioural and psychological symptoms assessed by the Neuro Psychiatric Inventory, independence in personal and instrumental daily life activities assessed by Katz's Activities of Daily Living and Lawton's Instrumental Activities of Daily Living scales, and caregiver's quality of life assessed by the Nottingham Health Profile at 6 months. The patient quality of life will also be recorded at 12 months on the logsdon's Quality of Life in Alzheimer's Disease scale reported, and at every visit (MO, M2, M6, et M12) on the same scale dut (QoL-AD) reported by the patient himself.