Lunde, Angela M

AbstractBackgroundCaregiving for persons with dementia negatively impacts physical and mental health, including increased risk for chronic loneliness and isolation. This Phase I study aimed to recruit former and current dementia caregivers as engaged partners in the design of a unique, technology‐assisted pairing platform to match caregivers to one another for meaningful connection and support based on characteristics chosen by the caregivers themselves.MethodWe recruited thirty‐two caregivers to participate in two semi‐structured focus groups (audio recorded for qualitative analyses) and complete a survey to understand the characteristics desired in another caregiver for the purpose of emotional support. Participants interacted with a website prototype on their personal device and completed a user experience feedback form. An iterative process was used to design the website and matching questionnaire allowing participants to validate preferences and concerns. Website analytics were captured (e.g. time to answer each question, total time spent on the website).ResultThe efforts culminated in a website ‘look and feel’ that addressed the preferences and criticisms of study participants. Figure 1 shows the home page slider inviting caregivers to join (images 1‐3) and describes the matching process (4); the caregiver answers up to 34 questions to create a profile (5‐7) and the website provides a list of caregivers that best match criteria (8). Overall, 87% of study participants rated a high level of comfort with completing the personal profile questions; 82% felt confident the questions asked would lead to a good match. An algorithm to match caregivers was created using the profile questions which asked participants to self‐select and then rank the characteristics of highest importance. Good and poor matches are scored by the algorithm, with 1 being a “perfect” match (Figure 2). In the current cohort, each participant had at least one match that scored 0.708 or higher.ConclusionOur study established interest in a technology assisted peer‐to‐peer caregiver matching program that is a potential low‐cost, high‐impact resource. The study resulted in a set of matching characteristics and an algorithm prototype within a user influenced website and will be further tested in Phase 2. Research supported from NIA of the NIH.

This pilot study examined the functional impact of computerized versus compensatory calendar training in cognitive rehabilitation participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Fifty-seven participants with amnestic MCI completed randomly assigned calendar or computer training. A standard care control group was used for comparison. Measures of adherence, memory-based activities of daily living (mADLs), and self-efficacy were completed. The calendar training group demonstrated significant improvement in mADLs compared to controls, while the computer training group did not. Calendar training may be more effective in improving mADLs than computerized intervention. However, this study highlights how behavioral trials with fewer than 30–50 participants per arm are likely underpowered, resulting in seemingly null findings.