An Evidence-Based IT Program With Chatbot to Support Caregiving and Clinical Care for People With Dementia: The CareHeroes Development and Usability Pilot
Abstract BackgroundThere are numerous communication barriers between family caregivers and providers of people living with dementia, which can pose challenges to caregiving and clinical decision-making. To address these barriers, a new web and mobile-enabled app, called CareHe...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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JMIR Publications
2024-12-01
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| Series: | JMIR Aging |
| Online Access: | https://aging.jmir.org/2024/1/e57308 |
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| author | Nicole Ruggiano Ellen Leslie Brown Peter J Clarke Vagelis Hristidis Lisa Roberts Carmen Victoria Framil Suarez Sai Chaithra Allala Shannon Hurley Chrystine Kopcsik Jane Daquin Hamilton Chevez Raymond Chang-Lau Marc Agronin David S Geldmacher |
| author_facet | Nicole Ruggiano Ellen Leslie Brown Peter J Clarke Vagelis Hristidis Lisa Roberts Carmen Victoria Framil Suarez Sai Chaithra Allala Shannon Hurley Chrystine Kopcsik Jane Daquin Hamilton Chevez Raymond Chang-Lau Marc Agronin David S Geldmacher |
| author_sort | Nicole Ruggiano |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Abstract
BackgroundThere are numerous communication barriers between family caregivers and providers of people living with dementia, which can pose challenges to caregiving and clinical decision-making. To address these barriers, a new web and mobile-enabled app, called CareHeroes, was developed, which promotes the collection and secured sharing of clinical information between caregivers and providers. It also provides caregiver support and education.
ObjectiveThe primary study objective was to examine whether dementia caregivers would use CareHeroes as an adjunct to care and gather psychosocial data from those who used the app.
MethodsThis paper presents the implementation process used to integrate CareHeroes into clinical care at 2 memory clinics and preliminary outcome evaluation. Family caregivers receiving services at clinics were asked to use the app for a 12-month period to collect, track, and share clinical information with the care recipient’s provider. They also used it to assess their own mental health symptoms. Psychosocial outcomes were assessed through telephone interviews and user data were collected by the app.
ResultsA total of 21 caregivers enrolled in the pilot study across the 2 memory clinics. Usage data indicated that caregivers used many of the features in the CareHeroes app, though the chatbot was the most frequently used feature. Outcome data indicated that caregivers’ depression was lower at 3-month follow-up (t11P
ConclusionsRecruitment and retention of the pilot study were impacted by COVID-19 restrictions, and therefore more testing is needed with a larger sample to determine the potential impact of CareHeroes on caregivers’ mental health. Despite this limitation, the pilot study demonstrated that integrating a new supportive app for caregivers as an adjunct to clinical dementia care is feasible. Implications for future technology intervention development, implementation planning, and testing for caregivers of people living with dementia are discussed. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-727bb53c617c4e268cbfcd7a3cc69e39 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2561-7605 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | JMIR Aging |
| spelling | doaj-art-727bb53c617c4e268cbfcd7a3cc69e392024-12-30T20:02:59ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Aging2561-76052024-12-017e57308e5730810.2196/57308An Evidence-Based IT Program With Chatbot to Support Caregiving and Clinical Care for People With Dementia: The CareHeroes Development and Usability PilotNicole Ruggianohttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-2398-7077Ellen Leslie Brownhttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-2418-3257Peter J Clarkehttp://orcid.org/0000-0003-0892-1907Vagelis Hristidishttp://orcid.org/0000-0001-8905-2832Lisa Robertshttp://orcid.org/0000-0003-4059-0810Carmen Victoria Framil Suarezhttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-0756-1287Sai Chaithra Allalahttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-4066-8924Shannon Hurleyhttp://orcid.org/0009-0002-8320-7754Chrystine Kopcsikhttp://orcid.org/0009-0003-1102-9618Jane Daquinhttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-6353-7265Hamilton Chevezhttp://orcid.org/0009-0003-7887-0022Raymond Chang-Lauhttp://orcid.org/0009-0000-3332-4122Marc Agroninhttp://orcid.org/0009-0002-1704-9233David S Geldmacherhttp://orcid.org/0000-0003-2958-1876 Abstract BackgroundThere are numerous communication barriers between family caregivers and providers of people living with dementia, which can pose challenges to caregiving and clinical decision-making. To address these barriers, a new web and mobile-enabled app, called CareHeroes, was developed, which promotes the collection and secured sharing of clinical information between caregivers and providers. It also provides caregiver support and education. ObjectiveThe primary study objective was to examine whether dementia caregivers would use CareHeroes as an adjunct to care and gather psychosocial data from those who used the app. MethodsThis paper presents the implementation process used to integrate CareHeroes into clinical care at 2 memory clinics and preliminary outcome evaluation. Family caregivers receiving services at clinics were asked to use the app for a 12-month period to collect, track, and share clinical information with the care recipient’s provider. They also used it to assess their own mental health symptoms. Psychosocial outcomes were assessed through telephone interviews and user data were collected by the app. ResultsA total of 21 caregivers enrolled in the pilot study across the 2 memory clinics. Usage data indicated that caregivers used many of the features in the CareHeroes app, though the chatbot was the most frequently used feature. Outcome data indicated that caregivers’ depression was lower at 3-month follow-up (t11P ConclusionsRecruitment and retention of the pilot study were impacted by COVID-19 restrictions, and therefore more testing is needed with a larger sample to determine the potential impact of CareHeroes on caregivers’ mental health. Despite this limitation, the pilot study demonstrated that integrating a new supportive app for caregivers as an adjunct to clinical dementia care is feasible. Implications for future technology intervention development, implementation planning, and testing for caregivers of people living with dementia are discussed.https://aging.jmir.org/2024/1/e57308 |
| spellingShingle | Nicole Ruggiano Ellen Leslie Brown Peter J Clarke Vagelis Hristidis Lisa Roberts Carmen Victoria Framil Suarez Sai Chaithra Allala Shannon Hurley Chrystine Kopcsik Jane Daquin Hamilton Chevez Raymond Chang-Lau Marc Agronin David S Geldmacher An Evidence-Based IT Program With Chatbot to Support Caregiving and Clinical Care for People With Dementia: The CareHeroes Development and Usability Pilot JMIR Aging |
| title | An Evidence-Based IT Program With Chatbot to Support Caregiving and Clinical Care for People With Dementia: The CareHeroes Development and Usability Pilot |
| title_full | An Evidence-Based IT Program With Chatbot to Support Caregiving and Clinical Care for People With Dementia: The CareHeroes Development and Usability Pilot |
| title_fullStr | An Evidence-Based IT Program With Chatbot to Support Caregiving and Clinical Care for People With Dementia: The CareHeroes Development and Usability Pilot |
| title_full_unstemmed | An Evidence-Based IT Program With Chatbot to Support Caregiving and Clinical Care for People With Dementia: The CareHeroes Development and Usability Pilot |
| title_short | An Evidence-Based IT Program With Chatbot to Support Caregiving and Clinical Care for People With Dementia: The CareHeroes Development and Usability Pilot |
| title_sort | evidence based it program with chatbot to support caregiving and clinical care for people with dementia the careheroes development and usability pilot |
| url | https://aging.jmir.org/2024/1/e57308 |
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