Caring for Caregivers of Individuals With Alzheimer's Disease- Promoting Virtual Home-based Exercise for Caregiver Wellbeing

Summary

What is this study about? This study is called the EMBRACE Study - A Virtual Community Empowerment Approach Integrating Tradition and Technology for Family Caregivers of Individuals with Alzheimer's Disease. It tests whether a home-based virtual exercise program can reduce depression and anxiety in family caregivers of people living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). Why is this study needed? Caring for a loved one with ADRD is demanding and is strongly linked to depression and anxiety. Regular exercise is one of the most effective ways to reduce these symptoms - but caregivers often cannot leave home to exercise due to the needs of their loved one, transportation concerns, and safety issues. What does participation involve? Participants will be randomly assigned (like a coin flip) to one of two groups: * EMBRACE group: 24 weekly virtual group exercise sessions over 3 months (about 1 hour each), using an at-home elliptical device provided by the study. Months 4-6 include weekly check-in calls to support independent exercise. Educational sessions on habit-building and goal-setting are included. * Wait-list control group: Completes the same surveys and measurements; receives the program after data collection ends. Who can join? Adults (18+) who are the primary unpaid caregiver for someone with ADRD, can read and speak English, and are healthy enough to exercise. Participants do not need to leave home - everything is virtual. What is being measured? Exercise time (using a wearable device), symptoms of depression and anxiety, and whether the program is feasible and acceptable to participants. Where is the study based? Indiana University Indianapolis. The study is conducted entirely virtually and remotely.

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