Caregivers' eCourse for Hip Fracture Recovery

Overseen By Maureen C Ashe, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of British Columbia

Disqualifiers: Age less than 19

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

230 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores the effectiveness of an online course for caregivers of older adults recovering from hip surgery after a low-impact fall. The course, called the Caregivers eCourse, aims to provide education and skill development to assist caregivers in their role. The trial will gather feedback to determine if the course is user-friendly and beneficial for participants. It suits family members or caregivers of older adults who have undergone hip fracture surgery. As an unphased trial, this study offers caregivers the chance to enhance their skills and contribute to valuable research.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial does not specify whether participants need to stop taking their current medications.

What prior data suggests that this eCourse is safe for caregivers?

Research has shown that the Caregivers eCourse is safe and easy to use. This online program assists family members in supporting older adults recovering from a hip fracture. As an online course, it involves no physical treatments, eliminating medical side effects or risks associated with drugs or surgeries. Feedback from health providers and family caregivers highlights the course's effectiveness and ease of use, with no safety concerns. This indicates that the eCourse is both practical and safe for participants. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

The Caregivers eCourse for hip fracture recovery is unique because it focuses on empowering caregivers through education, rather than directly treating the patient. This online course provides caregivers with the knowledge and skills needed to support recovery, which differs from the standard approach that primarily targets the medical treatment of the fracture itself, like surgery, physical therapy, and pain management. Researchers are excited about this approach because it has the potential to enhance patient recovery by improving the home care environment and reducing caregiver stress, ultimately leading to better outcomes for both patients and caregivers.

What evidence suggests that the Caregivers eCourse is effective for hip fracture recovery?

Research shows that the Caregivers eCourse, provided to participants in this trial, can assist those helping older adults recover from hip fractures. Studies have found that caregivers consider these online programs easy to use and beneficial. Caregivers reported that the eCourse simplified recovery management and enhanced the well-being of the older adults they assisted. Additionally, a related study found that caregivers who participated in structured support programs observed better recovery outcomes in patients. Overall, these findings suggest that the eCourse can be a valuable tool for supporting hip fracture recovery. ^{1 2 3 6 7}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for family members or caregivers of older adults who are recovering from a hip fracture that required surgery. The caregivers must be adults, meaning they should be at least 19 years old.

Inclusion Criteria

I am a caregiver for an older adult who has had a hip fracture.

Exclusion Criteria

I am under 19 years old.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

eCourse Feedback

Participants provide feedback on the content, layout, and delivery of the eCourse

1 day

Online participation

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for feedback and satisfaction with the eCourse

1-2 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Caregivers eCourse

Trial Overview The study is testing an online education and skill development program (eCourse) designed to help caregivers in managing the recovery process after their loved one's hip fracture surgery. Health providers will first review the eCourse before it's tested with caregivers.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Caregivers eCourse Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Education post-hip fracture delivered via eCourse.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of British Columbia

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,506

Recruited

2,528,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

The @ctivehip telerehabilitation program for older adults with hip fractures did not significantly increase caregiver burden compared to traditional face-to-face rehabilitation, suggesting it is a safe option for both patients and their caregivers.

Caregivers of older adults using the telerehabilitation program reported lower levels of anxiety and depression, indicating potential psychological benefits for caregivers involved in this home-based approach.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Is a telerehabilitation programme for older adults with hip fracture associated with burden of family caregivers who provide support? Fernández-González, M., Lozano-Lozano, M., Martín-Martín, L., et al.[2023]

A workshop designed for caregivers of older adults with hip fractures was found to be highly useful and satisfactory, with a median satisfaction score of 10 out of 10 from 103 participants.

The study highlighted caregivers' main concerns about providing physical care and time constraints, indicating that targeted educational programs can help alleviate these worries and improve care quality.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Development and Evaluation of a Post-Hip Fracture Instructional Workshop for Caregivers. Ariza-Vega, P., Ortiz-Piña, M., Mora-Traverso, M., et al.[2021]

The online hip fracture resource center, which included discussion boards and learning modules, provided a valuable platform for informal caregivers to share experiences and receive support during the recovery of older adults with hip fractures.

Qualitative analysis of discussion board postings revealed six key themes related to caregiver experiences, highlighting the potential of these forums to inform healthcare providers about caregiver needs and improve support strategies, although the study was limited by a small sample size from a single hospital.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Use of discussion boards in an online hip fracture resource center for caregivers. Nahm, ES., Resnick, B., Plummer, L., et al.[2021]

In a study involving 57 family caregivers of elderly women recovering from hip fractures, caregivers reported ongoing challenges and unrealistic expectations about the recovery process, with many feeling that mobility and pain levels were worse than anticipated by 14 weeks post-discharge.

The location of the patient post-discharge significantly influenced the types of caregiving activities required, highlighting the importance of family support in rehabilitation, especially as non-spouse caregivers reported more difficulties.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Family caregiving in cases of hip fracture. Williams, MA., Oberst, MT., Bjorklund, BC., et al.[2022]

The FReSH Start manual, designed to aid older adults recovering from hip fractures, received high ratings for its structure, content, and illustrations, with a median usefulness score of 9 out of 10 from 31 participants.

Participants emphasized the importance of having healthcare team members deliver and explain the manual, highlighting the need for support during the transition from hospital to home.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Exploring older adults' perceptions of a patient-centered education manual for hip fracture recovery: "everything in one place". Tsui, K., Fleig, L., Langford, DP., et al.[2020]

Elders with hip fractures whose caregivers needed information about caregiving were nearly twice as likely to recover their walking ability compared to those whose caregivers did not have this need, indicating that caregiver education is crucial for recovery.

Conversely, if caregivers expressed a need for social services, the elders were significantly less likely to recover their walking ability and perform daily activities, suggesting that unmet social support needs can hinder recovery.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Family caregivers' needs predict functional recovery of older care recipients after hip fracture. Shyu, YI., Chen, MC., Wu, CC., et al.[2022]

Citations

1. trialx.com trialx.com/clinical-trials/listings/302901/caregivers-ecourse-for-recovery-after-hip-fracture/

Caregivers' eCourse for Recovery After Hip Fracture This is a cross-sectional mixed methods study to obtain feedback from health providers and family caregivers on eCourse for the post-hip ...

2. clinicaltrial.be clinicaltrial.be/en/details/177303?per_page=100&recruiting=1&enrolling_by_invitation=1&active_not_recruiting=1&not_yet_recruiting=0&completed=0&only_recruiting=0&only_eligible=0

Caregivers' eCourse for Recovery After Hip Fracture - Cli... This is a cross-sectional mixed methods study to obtain feedback from health providers and family caregivers on eCourse for the post-hip ...

3. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3491116/

A Theory-Based Online Hip Fracture Resource Center for ... To develop a comprehensive theory-based online hip fracture resource center for caregivers, Caring for Caregivers, and conducted a feasibility trial. Method.

4. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10729129/

Hospital-based caregiver intervention for people following hip ... This programme comprised three, 1 hour, one-to-one training sessions for a patient and caregiver, delivered by a nurse, physiotherapist or occupational ...

5. mdpi.com mdpi.com/2077-0383/10/24/5850

Family Caregivers' Experiences with Tele-Rehabilitation for ... Results: Family caregivers who enrolled in @ctivehip were satisfied with the program, stated it was manageable to use, and perceived benefits for older adults' ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3817015/

Exploration of Informal Caregiving Following Hip Fracture The aim of this qualitative study was to explore informal caregivers' experiences with providing care to older adults over the first 6-month trajectory of hip ...

7. researchgate.net researchgate.net/publication/348381257_The_Journey_of_Recovery-Caregivers'_Perspectives_From_a_Hip_Fracture_Telerehabilitation_Clinical_Trial

(PDF) The Journey of Recovery-Caregivers' Perspectives ... Objective: To explore family caregivers' perspectives of the recovery process of older adults with hip fracture, and describe experiences from ...