Integrating Caregiver Support into Multiple Sclerosis Care

Table 2

Benefits of participation reported by caregiver and person with MS.

Benefit	M ± SD^a
Caregiver
Overall benefited from participating	4.3 ± 1.2
Feel more confident as a caregiver	4.2 ± 0.9
Improve ability to care for self	4.0 ± 1.0
Improve ability to care for person with MS	4.2 ± 1.0
Improve ability to assist person with MS with mobility and exercise	3.6 ± 1.5
How often person with MS completed exercise/stretching plan at home	3.0 ± 1.3
How often caregiver completed exercise/stretching plan at home	2.8 ± 1.4
Exercises helpful for mobility of person with MS	3.6 ± 1.4
Better understand MS and its effects on person with MS	4.1 ± 1.2
Feel more confident in dealing with these effects	4.3 ± 0.9
Better understand MS’s effects on caregiver	4.0 ± 1.2
Feel more confident in dealing with these effects	4.3 ± 0.8
Person with MS
Overall benefited from participating (self)	3.0 ± 1.3
Caregiver benefited from participating	3.8 ± 1.2

^a Scale from 1 (not at all) to 5 (extremely).