Tools for Distance Delivery of an Evidence-based AD Family Caregiver Intervention
Condition: Alzheimer's Disease; Dementia
MeSH terms: Alzheimer Disease
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      A 20+ year randomized controlled trial (RCT) demonstrated the many benefits of a counseling
      and support intervention for spouse caregivers, the NYU Caregiver Intervention (NYUCI). The
      NYU Caregiver Intervention (NYUCI) is an evidence-based intervention that provides counseling
      and support for families involved in the care of a relative or friend with Alzheimer's
      Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD). Most notably, the NYUCI substantially reduced
      caregiver's depressive symptoms, improved their physical health, and extended the time
      persons with ADRD remained at home by an average of 1.5 years (Mittelman et al., AG14634,
      formerly MH42216; See http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17101889).

      The intervention is now being widely implemented in-person, but there are barriers that
      prevent many caregivers from receiving its benefits, including geographic distance;
      impediments to older adults leaving their homes; and travel considerations for counselors
      which make it impossible to provide the NYUCI in person.

      The goal of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of an online videoconferencing version of
      the NYUCI. This innovative application has massive implications for social service delivery
      to older adults, because it will make it possible to deliver an in-person intervention, via
      the internet, which is already evidenced based to older adult caregivers who cannot currently
      be served. It will create the online reservation and management technology linking counselors
      with families as well as the evidence of effectiveness of providing such services via secure
      video teleconferencing vehicles. The proposed Telehealth Technology for Distance Counseling
      (TTDC) and related online educational training modules will connect skilled providers to the
      families of persons with dementia without regard to geographic location. Implications for
      rural healthcare delivery are particularly persuasive. To the investigators knowledge, this
      will be the first large-scale TTDC to be developed and rigorously tested with a randomized
      controlled trial. The investigators hypothesize that such a system, coupled with online
      training for providers and families on tele- counseling and distance caregiving, will have
      similar benefits to those achieved with in-person counseling during the original NYUCI RCT.

      This project includes an online reservation and management technology linking counselors with
      families via secure videoconferencing vehicles. The Telehealth Technology for Distance
      Counseling (TTDC), and online technology developed as part of this overall effort, will
      connect skilled providers to the families of persons with dementia without regard to
      geographic location. The related online clinical modules (i.e., interactive, computer-based
      educational materials) developed as a part of this grant effort will prepare counselors to
      provide the intervention, and caregivers to utilize the internet software, to be able to
      participate in counseling.

      The TTDC will include a scheduling system to link counselors to families at their mutual
      convenience and assure delivery in a cost-effective manner. The TTDC has the additional
      potential to transform ADRD care in ethnic and culturally diverse communities by connecting
      highly trained NYUCI counselors with specialized language and cultural skills to families who
      would not have access to these resources locally.

      In this study investigators will have 240 caregivers navigate the online educational module
      and the online reservation system for connecting caregivers with social workers. Half of the
      caregivers will then be paired with social service providers to receive counseling over the
      telephone, and the other half with be paired with social service providers to receive
      counseling via Zoom, a video conferencing program. Recruiting across the United States and
      Toronto, Canada.
    


Intervention name(s): Online counseling via Zoom teleconferencing; Telephone support as needed
Intervention type(s): Other; Other
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Supportive Care
Keywords: Counseling