A caregiver is asked to enroll their loved one in a study of the most effective form of respite or short

A caregiver is asked to enroll their loved one in a study of the most effective form of respite or short term day care services for caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The study involves the use of three groups – two treatment groups and one control group.1

One treatment group will consist of 4 hours of “day care” for the person with AD, 5 days per week. The second treatment group consists of three 8 hour “day care” sessions per week for the person with AD person, plus a support group for the caregiver. The control group will not have access to either respite service regimen, but will simply be interviewed every month for 3 months to measure stress and coping. All the persons with AD who are participating will undergo a baseline assessment, including mental status tests and a blood sample to measure stress hormones. In addition, a blood sample will be collected from person with AD each week for the duration of the study.

Based upon our coursework to this point, please discuss a few of the ethical issues that would be involved in enrolling in this study. What modifications to the study might resolve or improve some of the ethical challenges?