virtual coaching to maximize dementia caregivers' respite time use

Conditions: Anxiety; Burden, Dependency; Caregiver

Summary: the "time for living \& caring" (tlc) intervention is an online, self-administered intervention, with the purpose of providing informal family caregivers with resources, support, and education to maximize the benefit of their respite time-use (respite is defined as planned time away from caregiving; it can be provided by a formal service provider or informal arrangements within families/networks). the study will use a full-powered pilot sample (anticipated n=150; actual n=166) and a randomized waitlist control design to examine feasibility and initial efficacy of the tlc intervention.

the purpose of this study is to redevelop the time for living and caring (tlc) intervention, in which dementia caregivers are taught strategies to assess and identify ways to spend upcoming periods of respite time, to a fully online, self-administered virtual coaching format, and then to pilot-test the new tlc intervention for feasibility and efficacy. aim 1 is to modify, adapt, and refine the existing intervention modules, utilizing a community-engaged design process where stakeholders (i.e., current or former caregivers, diverse community leaders, and respite providers) will work as consultants alongside the research, technical, and creative teams to develop and provide feedback on the tlc prototypes. the primary endpoint of this phase of the study is a fully-developed, tested, and ready-to-launch web-based intervention. aim 2 is to conduct a pilot test with dementia caregivers who are currently using respite, using a full powered pilot sample and a randomized waitlist-control experimental design where participants are exposed to the redeveloped tlc intervention for 8 weeks and will provide assessments of daily respite use, respite time-use satisfaction, and wellbeing. these pilot data will be used to assess feasibility and to explore hypotheses regarding the potential efficacy of the intervention as well as the mechanism - time-use satisfaction -underlying the intervention's effect on wellbeing. \*\*aim 2 uses a clinical trial methodology, and is therefore the part of the study that is described in detail here \*\* aim 3 is intended to explore future implementation with respite providers, as yet another assessment of the intervention's feasibility. we will host webinars to demonstrate the features and functionality of the tlc intervention. we will then ask providers for feedback on their likelihood of implementation and barriers to using tlc with their clients. together, these three aims represent a comprehensive approach to stage 1 behavioral intervention research activities, with the overall goal of (re)developing an intervention that is useful to dementia caregivers and is scalable to real world applications. each aim has a separate sample and study design. aim 1 sample \& design: a dozen community stakeholders, consisting of current and former ad/adrd caregivers, respite providers, and community leaders that represent diverse local populations. these participants will be considered "consultants" (not human subjects), per irb. they are providing feedback and advice to the research team and technical designers in the creation and translation of the tlc intervention tools to a self-administered, app-delivered intervention. aim 2 sample \& design: a total of 150 respite-using ad/adrd caregivers. this is the sample that is participating in the clinical trial. \*\* eligibility, measures, study design for this phase of the overall project are described in greater detail here \*\* aim 3 sample \& design: a minimum of 100 respite providers, located anywhere in the us, such as staff from home health agencies, adult day care centers, area agencies on aging, long term care communities, hospices, hospitals, etc. eligibility is based on their interest and willingness to learn more about the tlc intervention. this sample will provide feedback on the features and functionality of the tlc intervention, as well as specific advice on how it could serve their clients and be disseminated in the future. this is human subjects research, but is not part of the clinical trial.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * caregivers to persons with alzheimer's disease or related dementia (ad/adrd) (self-identified) * use formal or informal respite for at least 4 hours per week. * primary caregiver (self-identified) * co-residing with the care recipient * 18 years or older and * able to read and write in english. exclusion criteria: * caregivers to persons with disability or chronic condition, and not alzheimer's disease and related dementia (ad/adrd) * caregivers who do not use respite for at least 4 hours per week * noncoresidential caregivers * younger than 18 years * not able to read and write in english