Clinical trial NCT07004842: Alternative Carer Respite: A Study on Its Effectiveness and Potential Mechanism
Official title: Alternative Carer Respite: A Study on Its Effectiveness and Potential Mechanisms
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: RECRUITING
Phase: NA
Conditions: Caregiver Burden
Keywords: respite
caregiver burden
Lead sponsor: The University of Hong Kong
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2025-06-04
Enrollment: 30
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 60
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: NA
Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose: HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Brief summary: The primary objective of this study is to examine the effectiveness of alternative carer respite in meeting the unique needs of older adults without children or with limited contact with their children in Hong Kong. Caregivers are assessed before and after the intervention, and three months after the end of intervention on their physical health, mental well-being, social engagement, and overall satisfaction.

Detailed description: All participants will provide informed consent at the time of enrolment. Both caregivers and their care recipients will complete an assessment. Caregivers are screened for their physical health, mental well-being, social engagement, and overall satisfaction. Care recipients are screened using InterRAI for their physical functions.

Caregivers will receive a maximal of 48 hours of respite service within 6 month. Alternative caregivers will provide in-home elderly-sitting service so that the caregivers can have some private time for themselves.

At the end of the service period, caregivers and care recipients will complete the assessment again to measure the changes of their physical and mental health.

All participants will be contacted again for follow-up assessment 3 months after the completion of service.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Either the CR or CG is aged ≥60
* Reported having (a) no children; OR (b) no children in Hong Kong; OR (c) having children in Hong Kong but with limited contact (i.e., fewer than once per month in any forms)
* Voluntary participation.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Unable to communicate in neither Cantonese, English nor Mandarin

Primary outcomes:
measure: Change from baseline in score in caregiving needs on the Carer Needs Screening Tool (CNST-11) after the intervention
timeFrame: Baseline and Immediate after intervention
measure: Change from baseline in score in depression symptoms on PHQ-9 after the intervention
timeFrame: Baseline and Immediate after intervention
measure: Change from baseline in score in anxiety symptoms on GAD-7 after the intervention
timeFrame: Baseline and Immediate after intervention
measure: Change in score from baseline in quality of life measured by EQ-5D-5L after intervention
timeFrame: Baseline and Immediate after intervention
measure: Changes in score from baseline in perception of caregiving measured by Positive Aspect of Caregiving scale after intervention
timeFrame: Baseline and Immediate after intervention
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
measure: Retention of changes of Primary outcome 1 to 5 after the end of intervention
timeFrame: Baseline, immediate after intervention, 3 months after the intervention
Locations:
city: Hong Kong
country: Hong Kong
facility: University of Hong Kong
Study officials:
affiliation: Sau Po Centre on Ageing, University of Hong Kong
name: Vivian Weiqun Lou, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: