remote assessment and dynamic response intervention

Conditions: Dementia; Alzheimer Disease; Relationship, Marital; Caregiver Stress Syndrome

Summary: the purpose of the readyr study (originally called share-sense) is to redevelop and test an intervention program to remotely assess for changing dementia-related care needs.

unmet dementia-related care needs are highly prevalent, and are detrimental to the care dyad's (person with dementia and their family care partner) health, safety, mortality, and likelihood of nursing home placement. the first phase of this study involves redevelopment of the intervention program into a 3-session values-based needs assessment intervention (delivered over 6 weeks) designed for early-stage persons with dementia and their primary family caregiver (i.e. spouse or partner). a secondary data analysis and focus groups will be conducted in order to complete the redevelopment phase. objective digital data on behavioral patterns (from sensors and wearables) will be incorporated into a needs assessment that will allow for dynamic tailoring of the readyr program to new and unforeseen care needs. people who voluntarily decide to participate in this study will be asked to participate in three sessions: session 1 for baseline assessments gathered from all participants (including remote in-home monitoring), session 2 for discussing the participant's care values and their alignment with current patterns of activities (assessed by remote monitoring) in the home, and session 3 for addressing current dementia related care needs and setting goals for the future. participants who complete this study will be offered participation in a follow-up monitoring period to further study the possibilities for dynamic tailoring of their dementia-related needs assessment.

Eligibility criteria:
persons with dementia inclusion: 1. 62 years or older; 2. able to identify a family care partner over age 20 who is living with you and will also consent to fully participate in the study; 3. probable or confirmed diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment or early-stage dementia 4. age and education adjusted moca score \> 15 (at most recent measurement by parent study) corresponding to early to moderate stage dementia exclusion: 1. inability to speak english or read printed materials in english 2. conditions that would limit participation at entry to study (e.g. visual or hearing impairments prohibiting reading and discussing the intervention materials); 3. any uncontrolled medical condition that is expected to preclude completion of the study, such as late stage cancers. family care partners inclusion: 1. 21 years or older; 2. self-identifying as a family member and care partner residing with the pwd participant; exclusion: 1. inability to speak english or read printed materials in english 2. conditions that would limit participation at entry to study (e.g. visual or hearing impairments prohibiting reading and discussing the intervention materials); 3. any uncontrolled medical condition that is expected to preclude completion of the study, such as late stage cancers.

Keywords: needs assessment family caregiver technology remote monitoring care values aging-in-place