Clinical trial NCT04139707: A Mobile Application for Training of Family Caregivers Caring for Someone With Dementia
Official title: An Information and Computer Technology-based Mobile Application for Training of Family Members Caring for Someone With Dementia
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: UNKNOWN
Phase: NA
Conditions: Dementia
Keywords: dementia
care-giving
communication
mobile application
Lead sponsor: University of Manitoba
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2019-10-25
Enrollment: 120
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: Background

The mental, physical, and emotional health of caregivers is negatively affected by the burden of caring for of persons living with dementia. Caregivers are usually reported as feeling frustrated, angry, exhausted, guilty, helpless and unable to bear the heavy burden of their caregiving responsibilities. In addition to depressive symptoms and other mental health problems among caregivers, the physical stress of caring for someone who is unable to perform daily activities such as bathing, grooming and other personal care, has been shown to be a serious threat to caregivers' physical health outcomes. Evidence has shown that greater levels of stress, anxiety, depression, frustration, and lower subjective well-being and self-efficacy are exhibited in a greater amount among family and friends who care for persons living with dementia compared to those who do not have the burden of caring for a persons living with dementia. Caregivers have been shown to use alcohol and other drugs at a higher rate than those who do not need to care for others as a reaction to this increased stress. Studies has also shown that caregivers are more likely than non-Caregivers to use opioid or psychotropic medications. One over five caregivers (22%) feel tired when they go to bed at night.

Objectives

This study relies on a mobile application (Caring4Dementia) that provides people, caring for a person living with dementia, with a useful and intuitive training tool targeting communication skills. The aims of this study are to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of using Caring4Dementia within a self-administered program and the preliminary efficacy of the Caring4Dementia intervention.


Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Informal caregiver of a person living with dementia for more than 6 months
* Able to read and understand English
* Able to use smartphones and tablets (Apple or Android)
* Have a smartphone or tablet (Apple or Android) with internet connection, involved in this study
* 18 years or over
* Give written and oral informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

* None

Primary outcomes:
measure: Change in caregiver well-being
timeFrame: Baseline (Day 1), post (day 30), Retention (90 days) after baseline
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Change in caregiver burden
timeFrame: Baseline (Day 1), post (day 30), Retention (90 days) after baseline
measure: Change in caregivers' perceived challenges and resources
timeFrame: Baseline (Day 1), post (day 30), Retention (90 days) after baseline
measure: Activity volume on the Caring4Dementia app
timeFrame: 30 days
measure: Activity frequency on the Caring4Dementia app
timeFrame: 30 days
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Winnipeg
country: Canada
facility: Riverview Health Centre
state: Manitoba
Study officials:
References: