A Home-based, Culturally and Language Specific Intervention for Dementia Family Caregivers: Stress Reduction and Education With Wearable Technology for Health
University of California, Irvine
Summary
The proposed study will test a 3-month, community health worker (CHW) delivered home visit, culturally and language-appropriate intervention for ethnic and underserved dementia family caregivers of persons with dementia (PWD) using wearable technology for real time monitoring of caregivers' stress and sleep. The CHW delivered home visit intervention includes stress reduction techniques by mindful deep breathing and compassionate support/listening and caregiving education to improve caregiver's health, wellbeing, and positive interactions with the PWD. This dementia caregiver study using wearable technology has the potential to significantly lessen health disparities in dementia care, assisting underserved ethnic dementia caregivers in self-management and increasing their quality of life.
Description
Over 5.8 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's dementia, a disease with no effective treatment and no cure. Two-thirds of the caregivers for persons with dementia (PWD) are women (most often family) and a third are themselves over 65. Dementia takes a significant toll on caregivers, often resulting in chronic stress, depression, sleep disorders, poor health related quality of life (HRQOL), and early mortality due 24/7 care responsibility for PWD. Research has shown significant barriers to dementia care for underserved populations, including Latinos and Asian minorities. Underserved fam…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18+ years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: * a relative of community dwelling person with dementia (i.e., Alzheimer's Disease or related dementias) * providing primary care for the person with dementia * willing to wear monitoring devices (a smartwatch during day time and a smartring during night time for 3 months * self-reporting ethnicity/race as Korean, Vietnamese, Latino/Hispanic, or non-Hispanic Whites with the following languages spoken in this study: English, Spanish, Vietnamese, or Korean. Exclusion Criteria: * cognitive impairment that precludes an individual from understanding the consent process and co…
Interventions
- BehavioralCommunity Health Worker (CHW) Home Visit Intervention
The on-site intervention will focus on stress reduction techniques and caregiving skills education for 4 weeks and two monthly caregiver-driven topics for the following two sessions. The education of dementia caregiving skills will include (1) understanding about Alzheimer's and dementias, (2) appropriate communication skills with PWD, (3) daily activities for or with PWD together (e.g., puzzles, writing, reading, singing, taking a walk, etc), and (4) care resources including support groups, adult day centers, or other dementia related social services (legal and financial matters). For stress reduction techniques to be effective, the investigators have installed an app on the smartwatch to remind them to practice mindful breathing exercises two times a day and when needed.
- BehavioralAttention Control Group with WIoT Technology
The caregivers randomly assigned to the AC group will be asked to wear the smartwatch during the day time and the smartring during the night for 3 months in order to monitor their physiological measures (heart rate variability, heart rate, activities, and sleep quality). CHW will give AC participants an overview of WIOT instruction at the baseline home visit. Caregivers will also receive resource information regarding Alzheimer's association and local social service information. CHWs will contact them monthly via phone for 6 months answering general questions from participants. CHW will visit participants' home at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months to administer survey assessments.
- BehavioralUsual Care
The caregivers randomly assigned to UC group will receive resource information regarding Alzheimer's association and local social service information at the baseline home visit by CHW. CHWs will contact them monthly for 6 months by phone asking general questions from participants. CHWs will visit participants' home at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months to administer survey assessments.
Location
- University of California, IrvineIrvine, California