An Innovative Supportive Care Model for Dementia and Traumatic Brain Injury

Summary

There are an increasing number of people in the U.S. with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are also common among both civilians and military personnel, and TBIs increase a person's risk for dementia. Providing care for a person with dementia is stressful. Dementia caregivers can experience difficulties including stress, depression, and reduced quality of life. Coordinated dementia care is known to benefit people with dementia and their caregivers. However, many caregivers do not have access to these supportive programs.

Our project studies the benefits of telehealth as a new way for caregivers to receive coordinated dementia care services. We will offer 75 caregivers a 12-month caregiver support program delivered using telehealth (for example phones, tablets, computers). Caregivers of both Alzheimer's disease and TBI-related dementia will be included, and the program will be evaluated for effectiveness in both groups as well as in a control group. The information from our study will help improve quality of life for caregivers and individuals with dementia, including military members and Veterans. Our results will also help both civilian and military health professionals develop effective programs to support families living with dementia. Policy makers and organizational leaders can use the information to fund programs that best help families and communities facing dementia and TBI dementia.

Conditions

• Dementia, Mixed
• Dementia Mild
• Dementia Moderate
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Alzheimer Disease

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Telehealth-delivered Care Coordination Program

Participants in the interventional arms of this program will be assigned a Dementia Care Manager (DCM) who will work with caregivers to develop goals and plans that are aimed at providing the best support possible, specific to your needs. These services include supportive counseling, education on dementia, information and referrals to community-based organizations, behavioral symptom management training and assistance with finding available community and government-sponsored programs. DCM's will meet with you at least once monthly and will be available if you need assistance between meetings. At the first meeting, your DCM will explain the questionnaires you will take and how to use the technology in the program. They will then provide a link, via email, where you will download the free teleconferencing software that will be used throughout the program. Questionnaires will then be sent via email invitations through a secure survey platform.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs

  collaborator FED

• University of Virginia

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Carol Manning, Ph.D. · University of Virginia Department of Neurology

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

21 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2021-03-03

Primary Completion

2025-09-30

Completion

2025-09-30

Countries

• United States

Study Locations