This study seeks to develop and test a fully online, self-administered psychoeducation program to enhance the caregiving mastery of family and friends who provide unpaid care for persons living with Alzheimer's and similar dementia disorders (PLWD). As the number of PLWD rises in the United States from the perhaps 7 million today to possibly 15 million in 2050, the healthcare system will rely on those caregivers even more. It is well established that family caregiving is taxing and stressful and that managing the day-to-day life of PLWD and handling the behavioral and psychological symptoms in dementia (BPSD) that they may exhibit are the main sources of stress. Group-based psychoeducational programs such as the Savvy Caregiver program (SCP) have demonstrated that the acquisition of skills, knowledge, and caregiving mastery can ameliorate caregiving stress - and enhance PLWD quality of life. Many factors, however, preclude caregivers' attendance in group-based programs and limit programs' scalability. To address the issue of access, the researchers have developed the Tele-Savvy program, an online version of SCP that brings groups of caregivers together in facilitator-led synchronous groups and provides substantive educational augmentation through asynchronous e-mail-delivered video lessons.~The first aim of this study is to develop a fully asynchronous online Savvy program that incorporates learning activities that promote both knowledge and skill acquisition and develop and enhance caregivers' felt-sense of caregiving mastery. Developing this education program will utilize input from clinicians, educators, Tele-Savvy facilitators, and caregiver advisors. The second study aim is to determine the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary efficacy of the created online program. This study will recruit 60 family caregivers to take part in a no-control trial of the program. Data will be gathered at baseline, immediately upon course completion and at 3 months post-baseline to assess caregiver distress measures (depression, strain, burden, anxiety), caregiver competence/ mastery, and care recipient quality of life.
This is a pilot/feasibility study to develop and test a fully online, self-administered psychoeducation program to enhance the caregiving mastery of family and friends who provide unpaid care for persons living with Alzheimer's and similar dementia disorders (PLWD).