Cost-effectiveness of a telehealth intervention for in-home dementia care support: Findings from the FamTechCare clinical trial.

Determining the cost-effectiveness of technological interventions is a crucial aspect in assuring these interventions can be adopted. The FamTechCare intervention is an innovative telehealth support that links family caregivers of persons living with dementia to tailored feedback from dementia care experts based on caregiver-initiated video recordings of challenging care situations. The FamTechCare intervention has demonstrated significant reductions in caregiver depression and increases in caregiver competence when compared to standard telephone support. The purpose of this article is to report on the cost-effectiveness of the FamTechCare telehealth intervention. Process-based costing and a cost-effectiveness analysis using the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was completed with 68 caregiver and person living dementia with dyads. The cost of the 12-week FamTechCare telehealth intervention was found to be greater ($48.43 per dyad per week) due to the telehealth equipment, recording application, and expert panel time compared with the telephone support intervention ($6.96 per dyad per week). The ICER was $18.51 for caregiver depression and $36.31 for caregiver competence indicating that it cost no more than $36.38 per dyad per week over 12 weeks to achieve significant improvement in depression and competence in the FamTechCare caregivers compared to the telephone support caregivers. The FamTechCare intervention appears to be cost-effective when compared to the telephone support intervention and remains near the willingness-to-pay threshold for caregivers providing in-home dementia care support.

Effects of a Video-based Intervention on Caregiver Confidence for Managing Dementia Care Challenges: Findings from the FamTechCare Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVES: The Supporting Family Caregivers with Technology trial tested the FamTechCare video support intervention against telephone support. Dementia caregivers' video-recorded challenging care encounters and an interdisciplinary team provided tailored feedback. This paper reports on the effects of the intervention on caregiver confidence in managing priority challenges, a secondary outcome of this non-blinded parallel randomized controlled trial. METHODS: Caregiver/person living with dementia dyads were randomized to the experimental FamTechCare video support (n = 43) or attention control telephone support (n = 41) groups. Caregivers providing in-home care to a person living with mild or more severe dementia were eligible. Caregivers identified three priority challenges using the Caregiver Target Problems Questionnaire and rated the frequency and severity of each challenge and their confidence managing the challenge at baseline and 3-months. Challenges were classified using the FamTechCare Technology-supported Dementia Care Typology. Effects on confidence were compared between groups using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test and within groups using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. RESULTS: Caregiver priority challenges included managing dementia behaviors, understanding disease expectations, and performing activity of daily living care. Improvements were observed across the three categories in both groups; however, not all changes were statistically significant. No significant differences were identified between groups. CONCLUSION: Caregivers in the FamTechCare group reported benefit across all priority challenges including managing dementia behaviors, understanding disease expectations, and performing activity of daily living care. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Innovative technology provides new opportunities to support family caregivers in dementia home care. Video-recording can be used to enhance support for family caregivers facing care challenges.

Comparing Person-Centered Communication Education in Long-Term Care Using Onsite and Online Formats.

Educating nursing home (NH) staff to provide person-centered care is complicated by scheduling, costs, and other feasibility issues. The current study compared outcomes for an in-service program focused on person-centered communication provided in onsite and online formats. The Changing Talk program was provided onsite in seven NHs (n = 327 staff). The online program included eight NHs (n = 211 staff). Analysis of variance revealed an interaction between format type and pre-/post-test scores with improved recognition of person-centered communication in the onsite group only. Group program evaluations based on the modified Diffusion of Innovation in Long-Term Care Battery indicated no significant differences between training formats. Staff perception of the program was similar. Although statistically significant gains were noted in posttest scores indicating awareness of person-centered communication for the onsite group, gains were of limited clinical significance. Feasibility and effectiveness are important considerations for in-service education supporting NH culture change.

Responses of Persons Living With Dementia to Caregiver Validating Communication: A Secondary Analysis.

Background and Purpose: Good communication between persons living with dementia and their caregivers is one important consideration when fostering a positive relationship and improving the effectiveness of care. Care can be a challenge if the person living with dementia does not feel understood or fails to cooperate with care. The individual may feel disrespected and may resist assistance. Validation therapy is a person-centered method for communicating with persons living with dementia that involves validating the experiences, feelings, and reality of an individual to encourage cooperation or provide for safety. The purpose of this study was to identify frequencies of four behavioral responses (cooperation, apathy, resistiveness, and distress) from persons living with dementia when validation communication strategies were used during care activities. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of homecare videos (n = 41) of family caregivers interacting with a person living with dementia during daily care. Behavioral coding was used to examine the relationships between validating communication and the response of a person living with dementia. Caregiver use of specific validation techniques in their communication (affirmation, acknowledging emotions, and verbalizing understanding) was coded along with subsequent responses of the person living with dementia (resistiveness, distress, apathy, or cooperation). Results: Affirmations produced an 11% probability of a cooperative response by the person living with dementia. Caregiver verbalization of understanding resulted in a 6% probability of cooperation, and silence was associated with an 8% probability of cooperation. Nonvalidating communication behaviors were associated with negative reactions. Implications for Practice: Effective person-centered communication between caregivers and persons living with dementia improved cooperation with care and decreased distress. Affirmations and verbalizing understanding were two types of validating communication more likely to elicit a cooperative response and can improve care quality, decrease caregiver burnout, and mitigate challenging behavioral responses in persons living with dementia.

Determining Evidence for Family Caregiver Communication: Associating Communication Behaviors With Breakdown and Repair.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Communication is fundamental for dementia care. The trouble source repair (TSR) framework can identify strategies that facilitate or impede communication in dyadic interactions. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A secondary analysis of videos (N = 221) from a clinical trial of a family caregiver telehealth intervention was analyzed using sequential behavioral coding of communication behaviors and breakdowns for 53 caregiver and person with dementia dyads. Coded data from 3,642 30-s observations were analyzed using penalized regression for feature selection followed by Bayesian mixed-effects modeling to identify communication strategies associated with communication breakdown and repair. RESULTS: Breakdown (coded as 0) was associated with caregivers changing topic (median = -11.45, 95% credibility interval [CrI; -24.34, -4.37]), ignoring (median = -11.49, 95% CrI [-24.49, -4.72]), giving commands (median = -10.74, 95% CrI [-24.22, -3.38]), and taking over the task (median = -4.06, 95% CrI [-7.28, -1.77]). Successful repair of breakdown was associated with verbalizing understanding (median = 0.46, 95% CrI [0.09, 0.86]), tag questions, (median = 2.4, 95% CrI [0.33, 5.35]), and silence (median = 0.78, 95% CrI [0.42, 1.15]) and negatively associated with ignoring and changing topic (median = -3.63, 95% CrI [-4.81, -2.57] and -2.51 [-3.78, -1.33], respectively). DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: The TSR was effective in identifying specific communication strategies to avoid (changing topic, ignoring, commands, and taking over the task) and to use to repair breakdown (verbalize understanding, tag questions, and silence). Future research is needed to test these strategies and explore the potential effects of dementia stage, diagnosis, and dyad characteristics in additional samples. Behavioral coding provides evidence of communication best practices as a basis for family caregiver communication training.

Promoting Elderspeak Awareness: Adapting Changing Talk Online Communication Education for Adult Day Services Staff.

Communication is fundamental for dementia care across long-term services and support (LTSS) settings. Education increasing nursing home (NH) staff awareness of person-centered communication has reduced staff elderspeak communication and reduced resistiveness to care of residents with dementia. The current study tested the Changing Talk Online (CHATO) education with adult day services (ADS) staff to identify strategies for adaptation for other LTSS settings. Three dementia-specific ADS sites participated in the CHATO education program. Participants completed knowledge assessment, communication ratings, and confidence ratings on providing care pre- and post-CHATO; a program evaluation; and rated their intention to use skills in practice. Findings were compared to an earlier study of CHATO in NHs. Focus groups evaluated feasibility, applicability, and directions for tailoring. Mean scores on the Changing Talk Scale knowledge test increased by 15 percentage points (p < 0.001). Confidence in providing dementia care scores also increased (p = 0.037). The mean Modified Diffusion of Innovation scale score was 2.2, similar to that in NHs, indicating intent to use skills; and program evaluation was positive. Focus group participants reported CHATO was valuable and recommended incorporating scenarios specific to ADS care. [Research in Gerontological Nursing, 16(2), 85-94.].

Developing Behavioral Coding to Understand Family Communication Breakdown in Dementia Care.

Communication breakdown is a challenge for family caregivers of persons living with dementia. We adapted established theory and scales for computer-assisted behavioral coding to characterize caregiver communication for a secondary analysis. We developed verbal, nonverbal, and breakdown coding schemes and established reliability (κ > .85). Within the 221 family caregiving videos analyzed, 55% of exchanges were interactive, 30% were silence, 4% consisted of talking to self or others, and 8% included a breakdown. An average of 2.4 (SD = 1.9) breakdowns occurred per observation and were successfully resolved 85% of the time, with 31% being resolved most successfully following only one flag and repair strategy. Caregivers were the primary speakers (67%); their communication preceded most breakdown (65%), and they primarily initiated the repairs after a breakdown (70%). Common repair strategies included clarifications (31%), asking questions (24%), and repeating information (24%). Associations between communication strategies and repair success will provide evidence for caregiver training.

Understanding Nursing Home Residents' Lives Through the Lens of Selection, Optimization, and Compensation Theory.

The current study examined the importance of personal goals to residents; assessed whether goal-related behavior was associated with mental health factors (i.e., depression, experiential avoidance, and quality of life); and explored residents' use of selection, optimization, and compensation (SOC) strategies. Interviews were conducted with eight residents at a nursing home along with paper-and-pencil measures of mental health factors. Transcripts were coded first for goal content and subsequently analyzed using an exploratory qualitative method. Most residents (five of eight) denied having goals. Experiential avoidance and depression were significantly negatively correlated with goal content; quality of life was significantly positively correlated with goal content. Eleven themes derived from exploratory analysis suggest SOC processes were important in residents' lives. The study demonstrated the relevance of SOC for residents' quality of life. The potential for developing person-centered interventions to evoke implicit goals and facilitate attainment is discussed. [Research in Gerontological Nursing, 14(6), 277-284.].

Satisfaction, utilization, and feasibility of a telehealth intervention for in-home dementia care support: A mixed methods study.

BACKGROUND: Technology can enhance support for families caring for persons living with dementia but must be acceptable to be adopted. The FamTechCare clinical trial engaged caregivers in video recording care encounters that were reviewed by an expert panel who provided tailored feedback. The intervention reduced caregiver depression and improved caregiver competence. This mixed methods study reports on caregiver satisfaction and utilization of the intervention and expert panel evaluation of the intervention. METHODS: A convergent parallel mixed methods design was used to evaluate the satisfaction, usability, and feasibility of the FamTechCare intervention. In the multisite randomized controlled trial, caregiver-person living with dementia dyads were randomized to the FamTechCare video support or attention control telephone support groups. Caregivers completed a satisfaction survey at the completion of the 3-month trial. Utilization was evaluated using the number and duration of videos submitted and calls received by caregivers. Relationships between participant characteristics and their satisfaction and utilization were evaluated. Feasibility of the intervention was assessed through content analysis of interviews with the expert panel. RESULTS: The majority of caregivers in both groups reported benefits from participation. More FamTechCare caregivers found the interventionist support to be helpful (p = 0.001) and effective (p = 0.020) compared to attention control caregivers. FamTechCare caregivers of persons with more severe dementia were more likely to report that video recording intruded on their privacy (p = 0.050). Caregiver age, gender, education, dyad relationship, rural status, and type and severity of dementia were not associated with ratings of acceptability, ease of use, or intervention utilization. The expert panel described the FamTechCare intervention as useful and identified adaptations to enhance feasibility. CONCLUSION: Regardless of age, gender, and relationship, caregivers found the intervention acceptable and easy to use and rated the expert feedback as effective in addressing care challenges. Further adaptation may be needed for FamTechCare to be readily implemented.

Moving Online: A Pilot Clinical Trial of the Changing Talk Online Communication Education for Nursing Home Staff.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Staff-resident communication is a critical part of nursing home (NH) care. Reducing elderspeak and increasing person-centered communication has been shown to reduce behavioral symptoms experienced by persons living with dementia. An online version of a successful classroom-based communication-training program that reduced staff elderspeak and resident behavioral symptoms was evaluated. The objective of this study was to establish feasibility and determine the preliminary effects of the online program in preparation for a national pragmatic clinical trial. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Seven NHs were randomized to immediate intervention or wait-list control conditions. The NHs were provided with the web-based training program that staff individually accessed. Primary outcomes were knowledge scores and communication ratings of a video-recorded interaction, using pre- to posttraining comparisons. RESULTS: Knowledge increased from a mean pretest score of 61.9% (SD = 20.0) to a mean posttest score of 84.6% (SD = 13.5) for the combined group. Knowledge significantly improved between Time 1 and Time 2 for the immediate intervention participants (p < .001), but not for the wait-list control participants (p = .091), and this difference was statistically significant (p < .001). Ability to recognize ineffective, inappropriate, nonperson-centered, and elderspeak communication improved after training (p < .001). The magnitude of improvement in communication recognition was comparable to that of the original classroom format. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: The adapted communication intervention was feasible and improved knowledge and communication. Online instruction can improve access to quality education and is an effective means to improve dementia care by overcoming barriers to in-person training. Clinical Trials Registration Number: NCT03849937.

Changing Talk Online: Protocol for a cluster pragmatic trial testing communication education to reduce behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia in nursing home care.

Nursing home (NH) care of persons living with dementia is often made challenging by behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) such as aggression, vocal outbursts, wandering, and withdrawal that occur due to cognitive and communication changes. Staff frequently communicate to NH residents using "elderspeak" which is patronizing speech similar to baby talk. Residents respond to elderspeak with increased BPSD that prompts use of psychotropic medication to control symptoms. The Changing Talk (CHAT) training educates staff about effective, person-centered communication strategies and reduces elderspeak by staff and subsequent BPSD among residents. This study will test effects of an adapted online version (CHATO) increasing access and dissemination of education to busy staff across diverse care settings. Nursing homes (N = 128) will be stratified and then randomized to CHATO education (n = 64) or to the control group (n = 64). Data on behavioral symptoms (primary outcomes) and psychotropic medication use (secondary outcomes) will be extracted from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Minimum Data Set before and after education and will be compared between the groups using generalized linear mixed modeling. It is hypothesized that after completing the CHATO education residents will have reduced behavioral symptoms and psychotropic medication use compared to residents in control NHs. Additionally, factors related to NH participation and cost of the intervention will be determined. The overall goal of this study is to prepare for large scale dissemination and implementation of the evidence-based nonpharmacological CHATO intervention to reduce BPSD in residents with dementia across long-term care settings.

Supporting Family Caregivers With Technology for Dementia Home Care: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The number of persons living with dementia (PLWD) in the United States will reach 16 million by 2050. Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia challenge family caregivers and contribute to negative caregiver outcomes such as burden and depression. Available technology can support the delivery of effective interventions to families providing dementia care at home. The Supporting Family Caregivers with Technology for Dementia Home Care (FamTechCare) randomized controlled trial evaluated the effects of a telehealth intervention on caregiver outcomes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The FamTechCare intervention provides tailored dementia-care strategies to in-home caregivers based on video recordings caregivers submit of challenging care situations. An expert team reviews the videos and provides individualized interventions weekly for the experimental group. In the telephone-support attention control group, caregivers receive feedback from an interventionist via the telephone based on caregiver retrospective recall of care challenges. Effects of the intervention on caregiver outcomes, including burden, depression, sleep disturbance, competence, desire to institutionalize the PLWD, and caregiver reaction to behavioral symptoms were evaluated by fitting linear mixed regression models to changes in the outcomes measured at 1 and 3 months. RESULTS: FamTechCare caregivers (n = 42) had greater reductions in depression (p = .012) and gains in competence (p = .033) after 3 months compared to the attention control group (n = 41). Living in rural areas was associated with a reduction in depression for FamTechCare caregivers (p = .002). Higher level of education was associated with greater improvements or lesser declines in burden, competence, and reaction to behavioral symptoms for both the FamTechCare and attention control caregivers. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: This research demonstrated benefits of using available technology to link families to dementia care experts using video-recording technology. It provides a foundation for future research testing telehealth interventions, tailored based on rich contextual data to support families, including those in rural or remote locations.

A person-centered care intervention for geriatric certified nursing assistants.

PURPOSE: To pilot test a multicomponent intervention to increase certified nursing assistants' (CNAs) awareness of person-centered care. To establish the feasibility of implementing an intervention involving videotaped biographies of residents and videotapes of resident/CNA caregiving interactions. DESIGN AND METHODS: A training program was provided at two nursing homes (NHs) using a wait-list control design. Levels of dyadic relationship closeness and satisfaction were compared prepost. Video recordings of CNA/resident interactions were coded for person-centered care using two observational instruments. RESULTS: Based on data from 19 resident/aide dyads, the findings were that resident's perceptions of relationship closeness increased significantly posttraining at both NHs, NH1, z = -1.89, p < .05, and the NH2, z = -1.95, p < .05. Effects were also seen with the CNA's perceptions of satisfaction and closeness, and resident satisfaction. IMPLICATIONS: The findings suggest that this type of intervention is feasible and warrants further research.

Exploring the applicability of interdependence theory to CNA-resident relationships.

This study explored the quality of certified nurse assistant (CNA)-resident relationships. Of interest was the extent to which interdependence theory could be used to code CNAs' responses to questions about their relationships with residents and factors that promoted or limited these relationships. Interdependence theory defines closeness in terms of outcome interdependence and provides an account of how trust and commitment can develop. Seventeen socially skilled CNAs from nine long-term care facilities participated in structured personal interviews. All of the CNAs said they had developed close relationships with some residents. CNAs' answers to interview questions indicated they were thinking "relationally" about their interactions with residents. Many CNAs made reference to commitment and pro-relationship behaviors that promoted relationships, and their responses supported the applicability of interdependence theory. Implications for training are that CNAs should be encouraged to think relationally, as well as dispositionally, and that boundary issues need to be explored.

Psychometric Analysis of the Emotional Tone Rating Scale: A Measure of Person-Centered Communication.

Psychometric analysis of the Emotional Tone Rating Scale (ETRS) was completed using ratings of naïve listeners who evaluated staff-resident communication in three nursing homes. Interrater consistency was high with ICC (2, 1) for agreement = 0.95 and consistency = 0.95. Factor analysis revealed two factors-person-centered communication and controlling communication-that explained 84.8% of the variance. Person-centered communication included seven descriptors (items) with loadings ranging from 0.84 to 0.98 and a coefficient alpha of 0.98. Controlling communication included five items that loaded from -0.63 to .99 with a coefficient alpha of 0.94. These factors were negatively correlated p = -.64 and demonstrated good ranges, standard deviations, and high item-total correlations. Person-centered communication correlated with higher resident engagement in conversation in contrast to controlling communication. The ETRS provides a measure of person-centered communication that can be used to evaluate interactions between nursing staff and older adults who reside in long term care settings.