WeCareAdvisor for Caregiver Support in Dementia

Overseen By WeCareAdvisor Study Team

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Drexel University

Disqualifiers: Visual impairment, Hearing impairment, Terminal disease, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

Duration: 3-6 months

262 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

The WeCareAdvisor is an online tool to help caregivers manage behavioral and psychological symptoms of people living with dementia. The trial will evaluate its efficacy to reduce caregiver distress, improve confidence managing behaviors, as well as reduce occurrences and severity of behavioral and psychological symptoms. Visit https://wecareadvisorstudy.com/ for more information.

Who Is on the Research Team?

Laura N Gitlin, PhD

Principal Investigator

Drexel University

Helen C Kales, MD

Principal Investigator

University of California, Davis

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for primary caregivers who have been caring for someone with dementia for at least 6 months, can use a smartphone or computer with internet, and speak English. They must not be planning to move the person into long-term care soon, be in another similar study, or have severe visual/hearing impairments.

Inclusion Criteria

You have experienced more than one behavioral symptom in the past month.

I have been on a stable dose of my mental health medication for at least 60 days.

Lives in the United States or US territory

Exclusion Criteria

The person with dementia is at risk of attempting suicide, as reported by their caregiver.

You are currently helping with a different study about helping people with memory problems.

The person I care for with dementia does not respond to their surroundings.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Caregivers use the WeCareAdvisor tool for either three or six months, depending on group allocation, with varying intensity of prompts

3-6 months

Interviews at baseline, 1, 3, and 6 months by telephone

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for long-term changes in caregiver distress, confidence, and wellbeing, as well as changes in the person with dementia's symptoms and medication use

3 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• WeCareAdvisor Study

Trial Overview The WeCareAdvisor online tool is being tested to see if it helps caregivers manage dementia-related behaviors better. Caregivers are split into groups: some get immediate prompts from the tool; others wait three months before starting. The intensity of these prompts varies between high and low.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Waitlist Control after three months with high-Intensity prompts Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

After three months, caregivers will receive WeCareAdvisor and telephone and email prompts.

Group II: Waitlist Control after three months with Low-Intensity Prompts Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

After three months, caregivers will receive WeCareAdvisor and email prompts only.

Group III: Immediate treatment group with Low-Intensity Prompts Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Caregivers will use the WeCareAdvisor tool for six months and receive email prompts only.

Group IV: Immediate treatment group with High-Intensity Prompts Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Caregivers will use the WeCareAdvisor tool for six months and receive telephone and email prompts.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Drexel University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

160

Recruited

48,600+

University of California, Davis

Collaborator

Trials

958

Recruited

4,816,000+

National Institute on Aging (NIA)

Collaborator

Trials

1,841

Recruited

28,150,000+

Johns Hopkins University

Collaborator

Trials

2,366

Recruited

15,160,000+