Translating a Dementia Caregiver Intervention Into a Mobile Application

The overall goal of this development project is to combine elements of two efficacious interventions into a mobile health (mHealth) App for informal dementia caregivers. The investigators will conduct a 3-month feasibility trial of the newly-developed CARE-Well App in 40 dementia caregivers to establish acceptability and feasibility of the intervention, study procedures, and outcome measures.

Caring for a person with dementia is a highly stressful activity and is associated with negative physical and mental health consequences, including increased risk of depression and worse reported health-related quality of life. The proposed project aims to develop and translate an evidence-based, multi-component intervention into a mHealth App that has the potential to increase dementia caregivers' access to support and care. The investigators will conduct a feasibility trial, in which 40 dementia caregivers will be randomized to receive a computer tablet preloaded with the CARE-well App or preloaded with internet links relevant to dementia and caregiving. Paper outcome measures will be assessed at baseline and end of intervention (3 months) during each study visit. To measure sustainability of the App, the first 10 caregivers from each group will be offered the tablets for an additional month to monitor usage of the App outside the formal trial. The goal of this aim is to determine feasibility of the intervention, study procedures, and outcome measures.

A full-scale randomized, controlled trial: 20 participants will be randomized to receive a tablet pre-loaded with a list of internet links relevant to dementia caregiving and 20 participants will be randomized to receive a tablet pre-loaded with the CARE-Well App. Both groups will be instructed to use their tablets at least 4 times per week for 3 months.

A tablet pre-loaded with a list of internet links relating to dementia caregiving that participants will be instructed to use at least 4 times weekly for 3 months.

A tablet pre-loaded with the CARE-Well app that participants will be instructed to use at least 4 times weekly for 3 months.

Participants randomized into this group will be instructed to use the CARE-Well App at least 4 times per week.

Participants randomized into this group will be instructed to use a computer tablet pre-loaded with a list of internet links relevant to dementia caregiving at least 4 times per week.

Percentage of participants who used the internet links or the app for the 3-month intervention period.

Percentage of participants who completed assessments at baseline and follow-up within two weeks of enrollment or completion of the study.

Percentage of participants in a subset of caregivers (10 from each group) interested in continuing to use tablet/App use after formal trial as an estimate of sustainability.

Caregiver desire to institutionalize care recipient; 0-7 points; high scores indicate worse outcome (or stronger desire to institutionalize).

Inclusion Criteria: Adequate English-speaking and reading skills Provide at least 4 hours of supervision per day for the care recipient (either directly or by telephone) Live in the community (either with the care recipient or without) Have provided supervision/ assistance for at least 6 months prior to study enrollment and have no plans to place care recipient in long term care or to end their role as caregiver within 6 months of study enrollment. Report some degree of distress associated with caregiving Access to Wifi at home Exclusion Criteria: Major acute medical illness Severe mental illness (e.g. bipolar, schizophrenia) Diagnosed cognitive impairment