the guidance service and who had participated in at least three sessions of the Group for Caregivers. The Non-GC, used as a control, consisted of 13 caregivers who, although having been invited, did not participate in the guidance sessions offered by the group.

Instruments
-----------

We adopted the WHO quality of life scale, short version (WHOQOL-bref)^[@r17]^, which contains 26 items and evaluates how a subject feels about their quality of life, health and other areas, considering their values, pleasures and concerns. The scale was constructed according to the health framework adopted by the WHO and is based on a wide gamut of aspects included in the following domains: physical (pain and discomfort, energy and fatigue, sleep and rest, mobility, daily life activities, dependence on medication and treatment, and ability to work);activities in a cycle of three sessions of approximately 90 minutes each, held every 15 days. The sessions were coordinated jointly by a neuropsychologist, a social assistant and nurses of ANCP, and involved the following topics:

Describing the dementia processes with their respective signs, symptoms and orientations.Nursing management and guidance focusing on promoting patient health.Counseling and providing guidance to the caregivers on the importance of the family in giving care, and on the community resources.

The groups were then invited to monthly meetings during which seminars on how to care for oneself and one's patient were held by the neurologist and other professionals invited, such as lawyers, physiotherapists and others.

All caregivers were invited to participate in the study, and those who agreed signed a Free and Informed Consent Term. In