Treatment of Late-Life Depression Alleviates Caregiver Burden

OBJECTIVES: To describe the burden experienced by family caregivers of older adults with depression and to examine the positive effects on caregivers of treating late-life depression. DESIGN: Two-phase treatment study for major depressive disorder (MDD) that included 6 weeks of open treatment with antidepressant medication for all older patients fol-lowed by 16 weeks of randomized treatment for patients who were partial responders, comparing a combination of medication and interpersonal psychotherapy with medica-tion alone. SETTING: Primary care and university late-life mental health research clinic. PARTICIPANTS: Adults aged 60 and older participating in a randomized trial for treatment ofMDDwho enrolled i