Eerder Erbij: The Path Towards Offering Timely Support for People With Dementia and Their Caregivers

Last updated: August 13, 2024
Sponsor: VU University of Amsterdam
Overall Status: Active - Recruiting

Phase

N/A

Condition

Dementia

Treatment

Eerder Erbij

Clinical Study ID

NCT06455163
852002106
  • Ages > 18
  • All Genders
  • Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Summary

INTRODUCTION AND RATIONALE

It has been estimated that at least 50% of the home living persons with dementia in the Netherlands receive little or no formal care and support (Zorgstandaard Dementie, 2013). Reasons why persons with dementia and their informal caregivers receive no formal care vary, include absence of diagnosis, denial of illness, embarrassment or the complexity of the care and referral system. A common concern among health care professionals is that by the time the person with dementia or informal caregiver do seek or receive formal care it may be too late. The difficulties at home may already be so severe that there is little that community-based care can do and admission to residential care may follow soon after. Appropriate support at an earlier stage may prevent more serious difficulties and postpone admission to residential care. Therefore, health care professionals are looking for strategies to reach persons with dementia and caregivers in an earlier stage of dementia and encourage them to accept some form of help or support. The rationale of this study is to investigate how persons living with dementia and their close others can be encouraged to accept support and whether support at an early stage is effective in preventing severe deterioration in wellbeing, behavioural difficulties and high care costs later on.

OBJECTIVES

  • Estimate the effect of EE on caregiver self-efficacy compared to usual care

  • Estimate the effect of EE on the total care costs of caregiver and person with dementia compared to usual care

  • Estimate the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of EE compared to usual care

  • Perform a process evaluation to monitor delivery of EE and experiences of persons with dementia, caregivers and care professionals

  • Explore treatment responsiveness of EE in terms of self-efficacy and quality of life

STUDY DESIGN

Pragmatic, cluster randomised controlled trial.

STUDY POPULATION

Informal caregivers and people with early-stage dementia, who are community dwelling and receive little or no dementia-related formal ADL care.

INTERVENTION

The intervention (Eerder Erbij, EE) is a person-centred, manual-based intervention consisting of education, information and a support group.

MAIN STUDY PARAMETERS/ENDPOINTS

Primary: self-efficacy. Cost-utility: EQ5D, RUD. Secondary: quality-of-life, caregiver burden.

DATA COLLECTION

Measurements consist of questionnaires (total duration is approximately 1 hour; administered at home; take place at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months).

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Informal caregivers can be spouses, relatives, or friends who care for and supportthe person with dementia without pay. If the caregiver does not live with the personwith dementia, they have to visit the person with dementia at least 3 times a weekto be eligible for the study.

  • The person with dementia must be living at home cared for by the caregiver.

  • The person with dementia should have a diagnosis of dementia or experience severecognitive impairments suggesting dementia. Type of dementia is not an inclusioncriterion.

  • The person with dementia is not yet receiving formal care related to personalactivities of daily living on account of his or her dementia more than once a week (defined by receiving assistance from a paid worker by e.g., health or social careprofessional as help with dressing/undressing; washing/bathing/showering; toileting;feeding/drinking; or taking medication).

Exclusion

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Main exclusion criteria for both the caregiver and the person with dementia will bemajor mental or physical illness, such as major depression or stroke, that wouldaffect their ability to participate in this study.

  • Person with dementia or informal caregiver is participating in another interventionor similar support program.

  • Dementia is caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), acquired brain impairment,Down syndrome, chorea associated with Huntington's disease, or alcohol abuse.

  • Inability to give informed consent will also be an exclusion criterion.

  • Informal caregiver is younger than 18 years old.

Study Design

Total Participants: 102
Treatment Group(s): 1
Primary Treatment: Eerder Erbij
Phase:
Study Start date:
June 01, 2021
Estimated Completion Date:
May 31, 2026

Connect with a study center

  • Klinische Neuropsychologie

    Amsterdam, Noord-Holland 1081 BT
    Netherlands

    Active - Recruiting

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