Massimo L, Hirschman KB, Aryal S, Quinn R, Fisher L, Sharkey M, Thomas G, Bowles KH, Riegel B. iCare4Me for FTD: A pilot randomized study to improve self-care in caregivers of persons with frontotemporal degeneration.
Alzheimers Dement (N Y) 2023;
9:e12381. [PMID:
37143583 PMCID:
PMC10152138 DOI:
10.1002/trc2.12381]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Introduction
A tremendous burden is placed on frontotemporal degeneration (FTD) caregivers who sacrifice their own self-care to manage the functional impairments of their loved one, contributing to high levels of stress and depression. Health coaching provides support for coping with stress while fostering self-care behaviors. We report on preliminary evidence for efficacy of a virtual health coach intervention aimed at increasing self-care.
Methods
Thirty-one caregivers of persons with behavioral variant FTD (bvFTD) were assigned randomly to an intervention group, which included 10 coaching sessions over 6 months plus targeted health information or the control group receiving standard care augmented with the health information. Caregiver self-care (primary outcome), stress, depression, coping, and patient behavioral symptoms were collected at enrollment and 3 and 6 months. Change over time was evaluated between the intervention and control groups using linear mixed-effects models.
Results
There was a significant group-by-time interaction for self-care monitoring (t58 = 2.37, p = 0.02 and self-care confidence (t58 = 2.32, p = 0.02) on the Self-Care Inventory, demonstrating that caregivers who received the intervention improved their self-care over time. Behavioral symptoms were reduced in bvFTD patients whose caregivers received the intervention (t54 = -2.15, p = 0.03).
Discussion
This randomized controlled trial (RCT) shows promise for health coaching as a way to increase support that is urgently needed to reduce poor outcomes in FTD caregivers.
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