A Psychosocial Intervention for Supporting Informal Caregivers of Older People With Alzheimer Disease: Protocol for the InnFamiglia Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Background Dementia is a neurodegenerative syndrome characterized by impaired cognitive functions associated with psychological and behavioral disorders. The informal caregiver has a central role in the life of the person with dementia. Committing a large part of the day to caring for the assisted person inevitably has an effect on the caregiver’s life. Objective The aim of this study is to analyze the impact of a psychosocial intervention dedicated to a group of informal caregivers of patients with Alzheimer disease. The intervention will be guided by a trained psychologist who will facilitate the participants’ expression of their emotional states, as compared to a traditional self-help group. Methods The intervention described in this paper was designed and developed for the project INNovazione sociale e tecnologica per le FAMIGLIE che assistono malati affetti da Alzheimer (InnFamiglia). The study is designed as a randomized controlled trial (RCT). The RCT includes an experimental group, in which the participants will undertake the psychosocial intervention, and a control group, where participants will receive support according to traditional self-help methodology. Interventions for both groups will last 4 months and will be comprised of 16 sessions. Results Participant recruitment, enrollment, and data collection began in 2021. Enrollment continued until September 2022, at which time the last group began the intervention. Data collection will be completed by December 2022, and data analysis will be completed by March 2023. The study findings will be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals and will be presented at scientific meetings. Summaries of the results will also be made available to investigators for dissemination within their clinics. Conclusions We hypothesize that the experimental group will be more effective in managing caregiver burden and coping strategies and that this will improve the perception of well-being, anxiety, and depression among caregivers. Our study aims to compare two groups receiving different interventions: a self-help group and a psychosocial group with elements of emotional support. This study may also give us more information about the most appropriate ways to support and help caregivers of people with dementia. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/37496

Identifying the active content of interventions targeting the psychological well-being of carers of people with motor neuron disease: A systematic review

“…The form in which social support is manifested appears relevant, as professional support is not commonly evaluated as helpful by MND carers (Aoun et al 2020). Peer support groups have demonstrated PWB benefits among carers of people with progressive neurological illnesses (Pasquini et al 2022), while peer support groups for MND carers improved the PWB of one cohort but not another (Marconi et al 2016). Although peer support may facilitate the development of coping strategies mediating hedonic PWB variables such as carer stress (Pearlin et al 1990), some authors have argued a "goodness-of-fit" approach to carer support needs, incorporating the risk of mental health problems (Aoun et al 2020) and MND patient stage (Poppe et al 2020) may be more effective than a "one-size-fits-all" method (Aoun et al 2021).…”

Exploring Intervention Techniques for Alzheimer's Disease: Conventional Methods and the Role of AI in Advancing Care

“…This study suggests that while quantitative impacts on care-related quality of life may be limited, qualitative benefits and specific improvements for caregivers are noteworthy. Pasquini et al (2022) explained that a RCT assesses the impact of a psychosocial intervention on informal caregivers of Alzheimer's patients compared to traditional self-help groups. The study aims to analyze caregiver burden, coping strategies, and well-being, anticipating that the psychosocial intervention group will show more significant improvements.…”

Giving voice to the voiceless: Understanding the perceived needs of dementia family carers in Soweto, a South African township

“…Over time, these stressors have been well-documented in the literature as a precursor to caregiver burden as the demands of caregiving increase ( Black et al, 2013 ; Winblad et al, 2016 ), together with adverse effects on caregiver’s psychological, emotional, physical health ( Ransmayr et al, 2018 ; Roberts & Struckmeyer, 2018 ). Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that factors such as unmet needs, lower socioeconomic status or income, geographic or service delivery issues and resource constraints ( Gaugler et al, 2004 ; Jennings et al, 2015 ; Pinquart & Sorensen, 2007 ; Robison et al, 2009 ; Su & Chang, 2020 ; Vitaliano et al, 2005 ; Wei et al, 2022 ) exacerbate caregiver burden ( Cauli et al, 2021 ; Oliveira et al, 2020 ; Pasquini et al, 2022 ). Focussing on unmet needs in particular, research suggests that caregiver needs are not met by healthcare professionals and a disparity exists between services and support given to caregivers versus the services that they identify as needed ( Kokorelias et al, 2021 ; McCabe et al, 2016 ; Novais et al, 2017 ; Phillipson et al, 2014 ; Valer et al, 2015 ).…”