The effects of family conflict resolution and decision making on the provision of help for an elder with Alzheimer's disease.

This study explored how characteristics of multigeneration families of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) affected the family's ability to provide help to their ill elder. An intensive patient and family assessment battery was employed with 211 families with an elder with AD, and measures of the amount and kind of help offered by the family group were recorded. Above and beyond control variables, families that used a focused decision-making style and positive conflict resolution methods provided more help than families that did not use these styles and methods. These data suggest the importance of the family system of care in disease management.