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As the number of those with Alzheimer's Discase rises and the associated costs of care escalate the need for quality caregiver educational programs and materials has become crucial. Carrgivers, as adult learners, require and deserve learning materials appropriate for their needs and abilities. For the most part current educational materials have ignored these needs. The purpose of this study was twofold: to determine what
content and teaching-learning processes would be most appropriate in educational programs for caregivers of those with Alzheimer's Disease; and to develop an educational program that would take into account adult learning principles and caregiver strengths and abilities.

The study was initiated by a needs assessment to better detemine specific
caregiver concerns and by an analysis of existing AIzheimer's curricula. The needs assessment took the form of a survey of administrators of long term care facilities in New Brunswick. The results of this assessrnent substantiated the need for training materials and helped to establish the parameters within which a training curriculum could be created.

The curriculum was targeted at a caregivers working in a long-term care with little direct education about Alzheimer's Disease. The curriculum was designed to be basic, practical, and useful; consists of twelve hours of training to be delivered as four three-hour modules. The curriculum was validated by three knowledgeable educators and was revised on the basis of their recommendations.