A feasibility study on embedding the usual Chinese iSupport and tailored Chinese iSupport programs in aged care...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Health Services Research
• Psychology

Background:

• Caregiver well-being is crucial for effective care recipient outcomes.
• Existing support programs may not fully address caregiver needs.
• The iSupport program aims to provide enhanced support for informal caregivers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of 'Usual iSupport' versus 'Tailored iSupport' on caregiver quality of life (QoL) and self-efficacy.
• To evaluate caregiver acceptance, adherence, satisfaction, and program logistics.
• To assess care recipient QoL as a secondary outcome.

Main Methods:

• An internal pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted.
• The study was nested within a larger effectiveness-implementation trial.
• Participants were caregivers, with outcomes assessed at 6 months post-intervention.

Main Results:

• The 'Tailored iSupport' group showed significant improvements in mental health-related QoL (p=0.02) and self-efficacy for managing changed behaviors (p=0.02) and upsetting thoughts (p=0.03).
• Recruitment rate was 17%, but retention rate was 100%.
• Caregivers in the 'Tailored iSupport' group demonstrated high adherence, completing 16.5 units and rating satisfaction highly.

Conclusions:

• The 'Tailored iSupport' intervention shows promise for enhancing caregiver mental health-related QoL and self-efficacy.
• High caregiver retention and adherence suggest feasibility, though recruitment strategies need optimization.
• Further research in a full-scale trial is warranted to confirm these findings.