Abstract
This pilot study explored the effect that respite care training had on volunteers' knowledge about Alzheimer's disease (AD), their attitudes toward the cognitively impaired, and their self-esteem. Volunteer respite providers (n = 52) were recruited and participated in four different day (seven-hour) respite care training programs. The sample was predominantly female (85 percent) and white (90 percent). Knowledge about AD increased significantly after respite training (p < .001), and attitudes toward someone who wanders were also significantly improved (p = .026). Overall, the findings support the immediate effectiveness of the respite training program.