EPIC: An Intervention for Early-stage AD Dyads - Adapted for Virtual Delivery

Last updated: August 5, 2024
Sponsor: Arizona State University
Overall Status: Completed

Phase

N/A

Condition

Memory Loss

Dementia

Alzheimer's Disease

Treatment

psychoeducational skills training intervention

Clinical Study ID

NCT03144921
STUDY00005510, STUDY00012907
  • Ages > 18
  • All Genders
  • Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Summary

EPIC II (Early-Stage Partners in Care) is a research project designed to assist people with early-stage memory loss and their care partners by providing early-stage related education and skill-training sessions, held via Zoom, designed to reduce stress, enhance well-being, manage challenges, and plan for the future. Researchers will gather feedback from individuals about their experience to continue to improve programs for early-stage memory loss.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

DYAD INCLUSION CRITERIA:

  1. All participants - Care Partners (CP) and Early-Stage People (EP) - will be at least 18 years of age and speak, read, and write English or Spanish.

  2. Eligible dyad relationships include spouse, adult-child relationships (e.g.,daughters), and other close friends and family members.

  3. Care partners must self-identify as the person who currently has or who expects tohave the most hands-on responsibility and ongoing involvement with the EP.

  4. CPs must live with or have regular contact with the EP.

  5. EPs and CPs must reside in a community setting.

EP INCLUSION CRITERIA:

  1. Live at home rather than an institutional setting,

  2. Have a confirmed diagnosis of OR symptoms consistent with early-stage dementia

  3. Exhibit changes in memory as specified on the AD8 dementia screening tool.

  4. Have a Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE)i score within a protocol-specified range.

  5. Have a CP who is defined by the EP as being the unpaid "family member" who has orwill have primary responsibility for providing assistance to the EP

Exclusion

EP EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

  1. Denying or not reporting any trouble with memory, based on self-report

  2. Normal cognition, based on score derived from screening tool

  3. If yes to BOTH:

  4. severe mental illness or developmental disability before the age of 45

  5. memory problems due to past head injury

Study Design

Total Participants: 272
Treatment Group(s): 1
Primary Treatment: psychoeducational skills training intervention
Phase:
Study Start date:
December 12, 2017
Estimated Completion Date:
April 30, 2024

Study Description

The purpose of this study is to help early-stage individuals who have early-stage memory loss or early stage dementia and their current or future care partners by providing education and skill-training programs, held via Zoom, designed to reduce stress and distress, increase well-being and quality of life, and plan for the future. About 160 early-stage dyads (person with early-stage dementia and his/her care partner) will be enrolled across the United States through Arizona State University.

People who decide to voluntarily participate in this program, will be asked to:

  • Meet others with memory loss and their care partners.

  • Attend six group sessions via Zoom (2 hours & 30 minutes each) to learn strategies to help handle new situations, reduce stress, improve mood, communicate better with each other, and plan for the future.

  • Participate in one 90-minute individualized session via Zoom to address specific issues that may be unique to each dyad's situation.

  • Participate in three 2-hour confidential interviews that involve questions about background, mood, and quality of life.

  • Participate in interviews at the start, and again about 3 and 6 months, via Zoom, to help us to continue to improve the program.

  • Attend several monthly booster sessions after completion of the seven EPIC sessions.

Each person will receive up to $45 for completing all follow-up interviews, or $20- 25 for each interview completed. All participants are offered the EPIC sessions shortly after their first interview or shortly after their 3-month interview. Some participants will also attend an additional free education workshop within one month of the initial assessment.

Connect with a study center

  • Arizona & Nevada Program Locations (Based at ASU Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation)

    Phoenix, Arizona 85004
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Nationwide Program Locations (Based at ASU Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation)

    Phoenix, Arizona 85004
    United States

    Site Not Available

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