Developing a Management Guide (the DemPower App) for Couples Where One Partner Has Dementia: Nonrandomized Feasibility Study
BackgroundPromoting the health and well-being of couples where one partner has dementia is an overlooked area of care practice. Most postdiagnostic services currently lack a couple-centered approach and have a limited focus on the couple relationship. To help address this sit...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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JMIR Publications
2021-11-01
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| Series: | JMIR Aging |
| Online Access: | https://aging.jmir.org/2021/4/e16824 |
| _version_ | 1797735517253533696 |
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| author | Reena Lasrado Therese Bielsten Mark Hann James Schumm Siobhan Theresa Reilly Linda Davies Caroline Swarbrick Robyn Dowlen John Keady Ingrid Hellström |
| author_facet | Reena Lasrado Therese Bielsten Mark Hann James Schumm Siobhan Theresa Reilly Linda Davies Caroline Swarbrick Robyn Dowlen John Keady Ingrid Hellström |
| author_sort | Reena Lasrado |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
BackgroundPromoting the health and well-being of couples where one partner has dementia is an overlooked area of care practice. Most postdiagnostic services currently lack a couple-centered approach and have a limited focus on the couple relationship. To help address this situation, we developed a tablet-based self-management guide (DemPower) focused on helping couples enhance their well-being and relationship quality.
ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility and acceptability of the DemPower app.
MethodsA nonrandomized feasibility design was used to evaluate the DemPower intervention over 3 months among couples where a partner had a diagnosis of dementia. The study recruited 25 couples in the United Kingdom and 19 couples in Sweden. Outcome measures were obtained at baseline and postintervention. The study process and interventions were evaluated at various stages.
ResultsThe study was completed by 48% (21/44) of couples where one partner had dementia, of whom 86% (18/21) of couples accessed all parts of the DemPower app. Each couple spent an average of 8 hours (SD 3.35 hours) using the app during the study period. In total, 90% (19/21) of couples reported that all sections of DemPower were useful in addressing various aspects of daily life and helped to focus on how they interacted in their relationship. Of the 4 core subjects on which the DemPower app was structured, home and neighborhood received the highest number of visits. Couples used activity sections more often than the core subject pages. The perception of DemPower’s utility varied with each couple’s lived experience of dementia, geographic location, relationship dynamics, and opportunities for social interaction. A 5.2-point increase in the dementia quality of life score for people with dementia and a marginal increase in the Mutuality scale (+1.23 points) for caregiver spouses were found. Design and navigational challenges were reported in the DemPower app.
ConclusionsThe findings suggest that the DemPower app is a useful resource for couples where one partner has dementia and that the implementation of the app requires the support of memory clinics to reach couples at early diagnosis.
Trial RegistrationISRCTN Registry ISRCTN10122979; http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN10122979 |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T13:00:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3740fdd244b9404f9dbabf4375d3f337 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2561-7605 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T13:00:14Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | JMIR Aging |
| spelling | doaj.art-3740fdd244b9404f9dbabf4375d3f3372023-08-28T19:46:57ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Aging2561-76052021-11-0144e1682410.2196/16824Developing a Management Guide (the DemPower App) for Couples Where One Partner Has Dementia: Nonrandomized Feasibility StudyReena Lasradohttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2634-4552Therese Bielstenhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-9021-1802Mark Hannhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4508-5584James Schummhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-9852-8521Siobhan Theresa Reillyhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4372-4415Linda Davieshttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-8801-3559Caroline Swarbrickhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7364-8869Robyn Dowlenhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-2982-7039John Keadyhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-8243-6913Ingrid Hellströmhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-8007-1770 BackgroundPromoting the health and well-being of couples where one partner has dementia is an overlooked area of care practice. Most postdiagnostic services currently lack a couple-centered approach and have a limited focus on the couple relationship. To help address this situation, we developed a tablet-based self-management guide (DemPower) focused on helping couples enhance their well-being and relationship quality. ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility and acceptability of the DemPower app. MethodsA nonrandomized feasibility design was used to evaluate the DemPower intervention over 3 months among couples where a partner had a diagnosis of dementia. The study recruited 25 couples in the United Kingdom and 19 couples in Sweden. Outcome measures were obtained at baseline and postintervention. The study process and interventions were evaluated at various stages. ResultsThe study was completed by 48% (21/44) of couples where one partner had dementia, of whom 86% (18/21) of couples accessed all parts of the DemPower app. Each couple spent an average of 8 hours (SD 3.35 hours) using the app during the study period. In total, 90% (19/21) of couples reported that all sections of DemPower were useful in addressing various aspects of daily life and helped to focus on how they interacted in their relationship. Of the 4 core subjects on which the DemPower app was structured, home and neighborhood received the highest number of visits. Couples used activity sections more often than the core subject pages. The perception of DemPower’s utility varied with each couple’s lived experience of dementia, geographic location, relationship dynamics, and opportunities for social interaction. A 5.2-point increase in the dementia quality of life score for people with dementia and a marginal increase in the Mutuality scale (+1.23 points) for caregiver spouses were found. Design and navigational challenges were reported in the DemPower app. ConclusionsThe findings suggest that the DemPower app is a useful resource for couples where one partner has dementia and that the implementation of the app requires the support of memory clinics to reach couples at early diagnosis. Trial RegistrationISRCTN Registry ISRCTN10122979; http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN10122979https://aging.jmir.org/2021/4/e16824 |
| spellingShingle | Reena Lasrado Therese Bielsten Mark Hann James Schumm Siobhan Theresa Reilly Linda Davies Caroline Swarbrick Robyn Dowlen John Keady Ingrid Hellström Developing a Management Guide (the DemPower App) for Couples Where One Partner Has Dementia: Nonrandomized Feasibility Study JMIR Aging |
| title | Developing a Management Guide (the DemPower App) for Couples Where One Partner Has Dementia: Nonrandomized Feasibility Study |
| title_full | Developing a Management Guide (the DemPower App) for Couples Where One Partner Has Dementia: Nonrandomized Feasibility Study |
| title_fullStr | Developing a Management Guide (the DemPower App) for Couples Where One Partner Has Dementia: Nonrandomized Feasibility Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Developing a Management Guide (the DemPower App) for Couples Where One Partner Has Dementia: Nonrandomized Feasibility Study |
| title_short | Developing a Management Guide (the DemPower App) for Couples Where One Partner Has Dementia: Nonrandomized Feasibility Study |
| title_sort | developing a management guide the dempower app for couples where one partner has dementia nonrandomized feasibility study |
| url | https://aging.jmir.org/2021/4/e16824 |
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