WECARE: A Behavioral Intervention for Dementia Caregivers (WECARE)

WECARE: A mHealth Intervention to Enhance Caregiving Mastery Among Chinese American Dementia Caregivers

This study aims to pilot test a culturally tailored behavioral intervention called "WECARE" to enhance caregiving mastery and improve psychosocial wellbeing of Chinese American family caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's Disease and related dementia.

The investigators propose to test a culturally tailored mHealth behavioral intervention to enhance caregiving mastery and improve psychosocial wellbeing among Chinese American family caregivers of persons living with Alzheimer's Disease and related dementia. This intervention, Wellness Enhancement for Caregivers (WECARE), will be delivered via WeChat, a social media app highly popular among Chinese Americans. About 45 participants will be recruited for the pilot test. Participants will complete a baseline survey, receive 7-week WECARE program on their WeChat accounts, complete a follow-up survey 12 weeks after the baseline, and then a qualitative interview on Zoom.

Participants will first complete a baseline survey online, then subscribe to the WECARE official account on their own WeChat accounts and begin receiving the 7-week interactive and personalized program. The program content includes short video clips, pictorial messages, and audio recordings. Each week, the WECARE program is focused on a theme aimed to increase participants' caregiving mastery, enhance self-care, and improve psychosocial wellbeing. Four weeks after the intervention or 11 weeks after the baseline, participants will complete a follow-up survey online.

WECARE behavioral intervention is guided by behavioral theories aimed to increase participants' caregiving mastery, enhance self-care, and improve psychosocial wellbeing. Participants will receive multimedia content on their WeChat account on cellphone or tablet, including short video clips, pictorial messages, short articles, and audio recordings 6 days a week, for 7 weeks.

The baseline and follow-up differences in depressive symptoms will be assessed. Depressive symptoms will be measured by the CES-D, a 20-item survey instrument. The total score will be calculated to quantify depressive symptoms. The baseline and follow-up differences in the scores will be calculated.

The baseline and follow-up differences in caregiving burden will be assessed. Caregiving burden will be measured by the Zarit Burden Interview, a 12-item survey instrument. The total score will be calculated to quantify caregiving burden. The baseline and follow-up differences in the scores will be calculated.

The baseline and follow-up differences in life satisfaction will be assessed. Life satisfaction will be measured by the Life Satisfaction Scale, a 5-item survey instrument. The total score will be calculated to quantify life satisfaction. The baseline and follow-up differences in the scores will be calculated.

The baseline and follow-up differences in caregiving mastery will be assessed. Caregiving mastery will be measured by the Caregiving Mastery Scale, a 7-item survey instrument. The total score will be calculated to quantify caregiving mastery. The baseline and follow-up differences in the scores will be calculated.

The baseline and follow-up differences in care-recipient's problem behaviors will be assessed. Care-recipient's problem behaviors will be measured by a list of 20-item problem behaviors. The total score will be calculated to quantify the number of problem behaviors. The baseline and follow-up differences in the scores will be calculated.

Inclusion Criteria: 21 years or older, self-identified as Chinese or Chinese American, speak and read Chinese (Mandarin or Cantonese), own a smartphone and use WeChat, living in Washington DC metropolitan, and currently care for a family member with ADRD and provide care for at least 10 hours a week. Exclusion Criteria: do not read or speak Chinese, care-recipient is in hospice care or have a life expectancy less than 6 months, signs of severe intellectual deficits or psychotic disorders, or unable to provide informed consent.

After the investigators completes primary data collection and the first report from this trial is accepted for publication.

Researchers will submit a request including the purpose of accessing the data and a data user agreement