Community Health Worker-Led Transition Support for Persons Living With Dementia and Caregivers

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN · Feb 14, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is exploring a new support program led by community health workers for individuals living with dementia and their caregivers. The goal is to see if this program is helpful and accepted by caregivers and healthcare providers. They will look at how well the community health workers follow the program guidelines, how satisfied caregivers are with the support, and if the program leads to improvements in the well-being of both the patients and their caregivers after 12 weeks.

To be eligible for this study, patients need to be 50 years or older and have been admitted to the hospital from home with signs of dementia or memory issues. Caregivers must be at least 18 years old, speak English or Spanish, and provide regular care to the patient, whether or not they live together. Participants can expect to engage in telephone sessions with a community health worker and complete assessments at different points during the study. The trial is currently recruiting participants, and it's a chance to help improve support for those affected by dementia.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• Hospitalized Patients:
• • 1. Aged 50 or older
• • 2. Has confirmed or suspected dementia or cognitive impairment (i.e., having memory concerns) ;
• • 3. Has FAST score 4-6;
• • 4. Admitted from home (not a long-term care facility)
• Family Caregiver:
• • 1. Aged 18 or older;
• • 2. English or Spanish speaking;
• • 3. Patient's relative, or partner who assists with medical care on a regular basis and who may or may not live in the same residence and who is not paid for their help; and
• • 4. Legally authorized representative (LAR) for the patient if the patient is not able to consent for themselves in the study.
• Staff Participants:
• • 1. Aged 18 and older,
• • 2. English speaking,
• • 3. Employed full-time or part-time at or affiliated with either site, and
• • 4. Involved directly or indirectly with patient care (i.e., administrative or non-clinical support staff) such as: nurses, physicians, physician assistants, care managers, social workers, chaplains, discharge planners, IT staff, administrative managers
• Key Informants:
• • 1. For hospital staff key informants, same eligibility criteria as above
• • 2. For family caregivers (current or formal)
• • 1. Aged 18 or older;
• • 2. English or Spanish speaking;
• • 3. Currently or previously were caring for a relative with dementia
• Content experts or community service providers:
• • 1. Aged 18 or older;
• • 2. English or Spanish speaking;
• • 3. Have professional experience working with and/or have expertise about dementia care and caregiving or related areas (e.g., aging service providers, staff at Alzheimer's association, scholars in the area of aging, dementia, caregiving, or care transition)
• Exclusion Criteria:
• Hospitalized Patients:
• • 1. Patients who do not meet eligibility criteria
• • 2. Patients who are eligible for hospice
• Caregivers:
• • 1. Caregivers who do not meet the eligibility criteria
• Staff participants:
• • 1. Staff who do not meet the eligibility criteria
• • 2. Staff who do not speak English
• Key Informants:
• • 1. Individuals who do not meet the eligibility criteria