Health enSuite Caregivers: an App-based Treatment for Distressed Caregivers of Persons With Moderate Dementia

Launched by IWK HEALTH CENTRE · Jun 28, 2021

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

The Health enSuite Caregivers trial is studying an online program designed to help caregivers who are feeling overwhelmed while caring for someone with moderate dementia. This program includes information about dementia, emotional support, and practical strategies to improve caregivers' well-being. It is available as a smartphone app and offers tools to help caregivers manage their daily challenges more effectively.

To participate in this trial, caregivers need to be at least 18 years old and have regular access to the internet. They must also be caring for someone with moderate dementia who needs assistance with daily activities, and they should be providing care for more than one hour each week. Participants can expect to use the app to learn new strategies and find support, which could help reduce feelings of stress and burnout. The trial is not yet recruiting participants, but it aims to provide valuable resources for caregivers in the future.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• Caregiver Eligibility Screening:
• Part 1:
• • 1. Are you 18 years and older?
• • Yes
• • No
• • 2. Do you have regular access to an Internet connected device (tablet, computer, smartphone)?
• • Yes
• • No
• • As their disease progresses, persons living with dementia will experience changes in their memory and judgment. These changes will impact their ability to complete many tasks and activities independently.
• • 3. Does the person with dementia you are caring for need assistance, encouragement or reminders to complete any of the following activities because of memory or thinking problems?
• Assistance with activities such as:
• • Cooking
• • House or yard work
• • Using the telephone
• • Driving
• • Managing finances
• • Managing medications
• 4. Encouragement or reminders to complete such activities as:
• • Bathing
• • Getting dressed
• • Walking
• • Using the toilet
• • Eating
• • 5. How many hours in a week are you providing care for this person with dementia?
• • more than 1 hour per week -less than one hour per week
• Part 2:
• In the past 30 days:
• • 1. My worries overwhelm me
• • Never (1)
• • Rarely (2)
• • Sometimes (3)
• • Often (4)
• • Always (5)
• • 2. I felt hopeless
• • -Never (1)
• • -Rarely (2)
• • -Sometimes (3)
• • -Often (4)
• • -Always (5)
• • 3. I found social settings upsetting
• • Never (1)
• • Rarely (2)
• • Sometimes (3)
• • Often (4)
• • Always (5)
• • 4. I had trouble staying focused on tasks
• • -Never (1)
• • Rarely (2)
• • Sometimes (3)
• • Often (4)
• • Always (5)
• • 5. Anxiety or fear interfered with my ability to do the things I needed to at work or at home
• • Never (1)
• • Rarely (2)
• • Sometimes (3)
• • Often (4)
• • Always (5)
• Determination of eligibility:
• • • If response to the question 1 is Yes, the application will consider the caregiver as eligible. If response to the question 1 is No, then application displays this message to the caregiver "You are currently not eligible to participate in this study. This application is designed to support caregivers who are 18 years and older."
• • If response to the question 2 is Yes, the application will consider the caregiver as eligible. If response to the question 2 is No, then application displays this message to the caregiver "You are currently not eligible to participate in this study. To access the Health enSuite Caregivers program you will need regular access to a device with an internet connection."
• • If at least 1 option from question 3 or question 4 is selected, then person is considered to be living with "moderate" dementia, and the application will consider the caregiver as eligible. If no option from question 3 or question 4 is selected, then the application will consider the caregiver as ineligible, and display the following message to the caregiver "You are currently not eligible to participate in this study. You must be caring for a person with moderate dementia to be able to participate in the Health enSuite Caregivers program."
• • If "more than one hour per week" is selected for question 5 then the application will consider the caregiver as eligible. If "less than one hour per week" is selected, then the application will consider the caregiver as ineligible, and display the following message to the caregiver "You are currently not eligible to participate in this study. You must be caring for a person with moderate dementia for more than 1 hour per week to be able to participate in the Health enSuite Caregivers program."
• Part 2:
• • • If sum of responses in Part 2 is 10 or less, then the participant is ineligible. If the sum of response in Part 2 is 11 or greater, then the participant is ineligible.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • -