CarePair for Dementia Caregivers

(CarePair Trial)

Overseen By Annabelle V Greenfield, BS

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Southern California

Disqualifiers: Under 18, Cognitive impairment, others

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 2

80 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests a new app called CarePair, designed to assist family caregivers of people with dementia. The app aims to reduce stress, depression, and feelings of being overwhelmed by providing personalized resources and support. Caregivers will use the app for six weeks, and researchers will assess its impact on their well-being compared to a group using a non-personalized digital folder. It suits primary caregivers who have provided at least 10 hours of care per week for six months and live in specific areas like New York City, Seattle, or Los Angeles. As an unphased trial, this study offers caregivers a unique opportunity to access innovative support tools and contribute to valuable research.

Do I need to stop my current medications to participate in the trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It seems focused on using a mobile app for caregivers, so it's unlikely that medication changes are required.

What prior data suggests that the CarePair mobile application is safe for caregivers?

Research shows that specific safety information for the CarePair app is not available. Designed to assist caregivers of people with dementia, the app provides personalized advice and resources. As a mobile app, not a medication or medical device, typical safety concerns like side effects do not apply.

Mobile health apps like CarePair are generally considered low risk, focusing on information and resources rather than medical treatment. Users do not face the same safety issues as with other medical treatments. In the realm of mobile apps for dementia caregivers, the main goal is to offer support and reduce stress.

While researchers continue to study the CarePair app, mobile apps in general are seen as a safe way to help caregivers manage their responsibilities better. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

CarePair is unique because it offers a personalized approach to supporting dementia caregivers. Unlike traditional support options that often provide generic information, CarePair uses a digital platform to tailor educational content and resources specifically to each caregiver's needs and preferences. This individualized attention can potentially make caregiving more manageable and effective. Researchers are excited about CarePair because it could revolutionize how caregivers access and utilize information, making their caregiving journey more efficient and less stressful.

What evidence suggests that the CarePair app is effective for dementia caregivers?

Research has shown that mobile apps like CarePair, which participants in this trial may receive, can assist family members caring for people with dementia by providing personalized resources and reducing stress. Studies have found that online and mobile app tools for dementia caregivers can improve mental health by lowering feelings of burden and depression. Reviews suggest that many current apps lack customized information, which is crucial for supporting caregivers. CarePair addresses this by offering personalized advice based on the caregiver's needs. Early results indicate that these personalized tools can boost caregivers' confidence, helping them manage their caregiving duties more effectively. ^{1 2 3 6 7}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Francesca Falzarano, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Southern California

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for family caregivers of individuals with dementia. Participants should be willing to use the CarePair web application and engage in study activities over three months. Specific eligibility criteria are not provided, but typically participants must meet certain conditions related to their situation as caregivers.

Inclusion Criteria

Does not exhibit cognitive impairment (e.g., scoring below 3 on the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire, SPMSQ)

Able to use the internet and has internet access

Primary caregiver of a community-dwelling person with dementia (PwD)

Exclusion Criteria

Not a primary caregiver to a community-dwelling person with dementia (PwD)

Evidence of cognitive impairment

I am under 18 years old.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Training and Baseline Assessment

Caregivers are introduced to and trained in the use of the CarePair application through video tutorials, written instructions, and virtual training sessions. Baseline interviews are conducted.

1 week

1 visit (virtual)

Intervention

Caregivers use the CarePair application for six weeks, completing bi-weekly questionnaires assessing service use and satisfaction.

6 weeks

Bi-weekly virtual check-ins

Follow-up

Participants complete a follow-up survey and an optional interview to provide feedback on their experience with the CarePair application.

1 week

1 visit (virtual)

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• CarePair

Trial Overview The trial is testing CarePair, a web-based platform designed to help dementia family caregivers by assessing needs and referring services. It aims to reduce caregiver stress and improve well-being through feasibility, acceptability, depression alleviation, burden reduction, and self-efficacy enhancement.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: CarePair Intervention Arm Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants randomized to the intervention arm will receive access to the CarePair app, a needs-based digital platform that delivers tailored recommendations for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) resources designed for family caregivers. These include services and educational articles personalized based on the caregiver's self-reported needs and preferences, with content organized by relevance to each user. Participants will be asked to log into the CarePair app twice per week and engage with one article per login, for a total of 12 logins and articles over the 6-week study period.

Group II: Control Arm Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants randomized to the control arm will receive access to an attention-matched comparator: a digital folder containing the same caregiving articles available in the CarePair app. However, the materials will not be personalized or organized. Participants will be asked to log into the digital folder twice per week and read one article at each login, for a total of 12 logins and articles over the 6-week study period, mirroring the engagement frequency of the intervention group.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Southern California

Lead Sponsor

Trials

956

Recruited

1,609,000+

National Institute on Aging (NIA)

Collaborator

Trials

1,841

Recruited

28,150,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

The UCLA Alzheimer's and Dementia Care program showed overall improvements in behavioral and depressive symptoms for persons living with dementia and their caregivers after one year, despite disease progression.

A mixed-methods study identified seven areas for improvement in the program, highlighting that while some caregivers felt they did not benefit clinically, 85% still found the program very or extremely beneficial due to the supportive relationship with dementia care experts.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Caregiver outcomes of a dementia care program. Evertson, LC., Jennings, LA., Reuben, DB., et al.[2022]

After high-reliability training, caregivers did not significantly increase the overall number of event reports, but there was a notable decrease in clinical process error reports, indicating a potential improvement in identifying and addressing specific types of safety issues.

The study found differences in reporting patterns between day and night shifts, suggesting that factors beyond training may influence caregivers' willingness to report safety events, highlighting the need for further research into motivators for reporting.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evaluating the Use of High-Reliability Principles to Increase Error Event Reporting: A Retrospective Review. Duffey, P., Oliver, JS., Newcomb, P.[2019]

A systematic review of 24 studies on dyadic psychoeducational support programs for people with dementia and their caregivers found that tailored, goal-oriented programs significantly improve various aspects of health and quality of life for both parties.

The review highlights the importance of long-term, individualized support programs to address the progressive needs of individuals with dementia and their caregivers, suggesting that such interventions can lead to sustained positive outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Systematic review of dyadic psychoeducational programs for persons with dementia and their family caregivers. Ghosh, M., Dunham, M., O'Connell, B.[2023]

The 'Partners in Dementia Care' (PDC) program, implemented over 12 months with 148 caregivers and 84 persons with dementia, showed significant improvements in outcomes for both groups, including reduced caregiver isolation and increased confidence in caregiving.

The positive results of the PDC program in real-world settings were consistent with previous randomized controlled trials, demonstrating its effectiveness as a regular service for supporting caregivers and persons with dementia.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Findings From a Real-World Translation Study of the Evidence-Based "Partners in Dementia Care". Bass, DM., Hornick, T., Kunik, M., et al.[2022]

The Home Safety Toolkit (HST) significantly improved caregiver competence in creating safer home environments for individuals with dementia, as evidenced by reduced caregiver strain and increased self-efficacy, with results showing statistical significance (P ≤ 0.001 for home safety and P = 0.002 for self-efficacy).

The intervention also led to a notable decrease in risky behaviors and accidents among care receivers, highlighting the effectiveness of the HST in enhancing safety for individuals with dementia living at home.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Clinical trial of a home safety toolkit for Alzheimer's disease. Horvath, KJ., Trudeau, SA., Rudolph, JL., et al.[2021]

Citations

1. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06418971?locStr=United+States&country=United+States&aggFilters=healthy%3Ay%2Cstatus%3Anot+rec+enr+unk&firstPost=2024-01-01_

Testing & Refinement of CarePair: An Assessment and ... The purpose of this study is to develop and test CarePair, a mobile application-based needs assessment and service referral platform for family caregivers ...

2. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/phase-caregiver-burden-2-2025-0180d

CarePair for Dementia Caregivers The purpose of this study is to develop and test CarePair, a mobile application-based needs assessment and service referral platform for family caregivers ...

3. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10603562/

Researched Apps Used in Dementia Care for People Living ... This review seeks to understand the landscape of existing mobile apps in dementia care for people living with dementia and their caregivers.

4. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11311318/

Effectiveness of Internet-Based or Mobile App Interventions ... This study evaluated the effectiveness of internet-based or mobile app interventions for family caregivers of older adults with dementia.

5. aging.jmir.org aging.jmir.org/2024/1/e58517/

mHealth Apps for Dementia Caregivers - JMIR Aging Existing dementia care apps do not provide sufficient high-quality, tailored information for informal caregivers.

6. tandfonline.com tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13607863.2023.2177832

Are mobile apps meeting the needs of caregivers of people ... Innovations in mobile health can improve the delivery of and access to interventions for caregivers of people living with dementia.

7. aging.jmir.org aging.jmir.org/2021/2/e21808/

Mobile Apps to Support Family Caregivers of ... - JMIR Aging The aims of our study were to identify existing mobile apps designed to support family caregivers of people with Alzheimer disease and related dementias in ...