Aims

(1) To randomly allocate carers of people with dementia to one of two groups (access to an employed befriending facilitator vs. usual care) and follow-up for 3 years post-randomisation in order to compare: carer stress and coping strategies, quality of life in both the carers and people with dementia; resources use; and survival. (2) To document direct and indirect costs in both the intervention and control group, calculating the costs from the perspective of health, social and voluntary services and families involved in dementia care, and establish incremental cost-effectiveness. (3) To employ a befriending facilitator to collaborate with relevant voluntary agencies in recruiting, training and supporting befrienders, and matching befrienders to care dyads. (4) To disseminate project outputs including: effectiveness and cost effectiveness; model of befriender support and training.