A Care Empowerment Program Using Virtual Reality for Family Caregivers of People With Dementia

A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Care Empowerment Program Using Virtual Reality for Family Caregivers of People With Dementia

This study aims to evaluate a care empowerment program using virtual reality on dementia knowledge, attitude, care self-efficacy, empathy and caregiver burden of family caregivers of people with dementia.

The majority of patients with dementia live at home and cared by their families in Taiwan. Most of family caregivers have limited knowledge and care skills of dementia, therefore they experience great stress and caregiver burden which may have negative impact on their physical and mental health. This two-group cluster randomised controlled trial aims to evaluate a care empowerment program using virtual reality on dementia knowledge, attitude, care self-efficacy, empathy and caregiver burden of family caregivers of people with dementia. The family care empowerment program consists of dementia care e-books, dementia virtual reality activity and family support group. The interventional group will receive the care empowerment program using dementia care e-books, dementia virtual reality activity and family support group. The control group will only receive dementia education manual and family support group with no dementia virtual reality activity. Both groups will be assessed for their dementia knowledge, attitudes, care self-efficacy, empathy and caregiver burden at baseline, month 3, and 4.

Inclusion Criteria: age 20 to 90 years, Taiwanese nationality, have provided care for relatives with dementia or cognitive impairment for at least three months, able to read Chinese and communicate in Chinese or Taiwanese, have a mobile phone or tablet and regular access to the internet, provide informed consent to participate in the study. Exclusion Criteria: family members who do not meet the inclusion criteria, can not provide informed consent.