A Study of Caregiver Connections Via Technology in Dementia

Mayo Clinic

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Alzheimer Disease; Frontotemporal Dementia; Lewy Body Dementia; Parkinson Disease Dementia; Dementia; Caregiver Stress

Treatments: Behavioral: Algorithm; Behavioral: Random Match

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; Industry; NIH

Identifiers

NCT05779839

R44AG065088 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

22-008835

Details and patient eligibility

About

This research is being done to develop a unique matching process for caregivers of persons living with dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal degeneration, or other dementia syndromes. Dementia caregivers often assume greater caregiving burden than do non-dementia caregivers, and the caregiving duration tends to be longer. Many caregivers do not have the adequate support they need. Peer-to-peer support has been shown to improve quality of life, more engagement with services, improve caregiver health, and reduce hospitalizations in the person they are caring for. This study will help determine whether caregivers of persons with dementia would find a technology-based caregiver matching program valuable for the purpose of emotional support.

Enrollment: 355 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• The participant must have a family member that has been diagnosed with one of the following forms of dementia: Parkinson's/Lewy body dementia, any frontotemporal lobar degeneration dementia, or Alzheimer's dementia.
• The participant must identify as a care partner or caregiver who has contact with their loved one with dementia, in person or by phone, and provides social/emotional support and full or partial assistance with daily activities at least 3 days per week.
• The participant must have been caring for their loved one with dementia for at least 3 months.
• All participants must have access to a computer and be able to use the internet.
• All participants must be English speaking.
• All participants must agree to participate in the 15-month study, which includes completing questionnaires, brief "virtual" interactions with the study coordinator quarterly, and actively interacting with the website and potential matches.
• All participants must agree to follow-up contact throughout the duration of the study, which is anticipated to last 3 years.

Exclusion criteria

• Caregiver's loved one does not have a confirmed diagnosis of dementia.
• Caregiver is unable to provide consent.
• Caregiver was or has been in that role for less than 3 months.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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355 participants in 2 patient groups

Algorithmically Matched

Experimental group

Description:

Individuals that identify as a current and/or former caregiver for a person with dementia will be matched to other caregivers using an algorithm that matches a caregiver to another caregiver based on specific preferences each caregiver identifies in a questionnaire.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Algorithm

Randomly Matched

Active Comparator group

Description:

Individuals that identify as a current and/or former caregiver for a person with dementia will be randomly matched to other caregivers not based on the preferences they identified in a questionnaire.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Random Match