Connecting Caregivers with Community Services: the Care Buddy Platform

Last updated: March 18, 2025
Sponsor: Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School
Overall Status: Active - Not Recruiting

Phase

N/A

Condition

Dementia

Treatment

Care Buddy

Care Buddy

Clinical Study ID

NCT06817876
2022-309
  • Ages 21-80
  • All Genders
  • Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Summary

The study aims to develop a mobile-app (Care Buddy) which will be a one-stop integrated source of information and technology-based solutions for caregivers of people with dementia (PWDs). Study aims to bring caregivers into closer partnerships with the wider ecosystem (e.g., healthcare practitioners, community services, peer support, and care service providers) which will ultimately improve outcomes for both PWDs and their caregivers.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

Inclusion Criteria:

  • The inclusion criteria for patients are

  1. Singaporean/Permanent residents

  2. Age 21 years of age or older

  3. Main person or one of the main persons involved in making decisions regardingtreatment patient receives or responsible for ensuring the well-being of thepatient

  4. An active primary caregiver for at least 6 months, and planning to remain theprimary caregiver for the next 2 years

  5. Is a family member of the patient with dementia

  6. Can read and write in English

  7. Accessible by telephone to schedule interviews

  8. Has familiarity with use of technology (e.g., computers, tablets, or internet)and is able to complete surveys, forms using digital technology

  9. Intact cognition determined through the Abbreviated Mental Test (AMT) for thosewho are ≥ 65 years old.

  10. Caregivers who score >=9 on the 6-item Zarit Burden scale

Exclusion

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Caregivers of patients staying in nursing home or other long-term care facility withno intention of being discharged will not be eligible however, if the patient isadmitted to respite care for short/long term duration after being recruited,caregivers can continue to participate.

Study Design

Total Participants: 210
Treatment Group(s): 2
Primary Treatment: Care Buddy
Phase:
Study Start date:
April 01, 2025
Estimated Completion Date:
May 31, 2027

Study Description

This is a 5-year study with various stages: 1) proof-of-concept stage to design and develop the Care buddy intervention, 2) proof-of-value stage to assess the feasibility, acceptability and satisfaction with the Care buddy intervention among informal caregivers of PWDs, 3) test-bedding stage to assess the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the Care buddy intervention versus usual care among informal caregivers of PWDs with help of a multi-centre 2-arm RCT and 4) deployment stage to scale up the intervention at multiple centres across Singapore, monitor its adoption and outcomes and assess any organizational and individual barriers to adoption.

By the end of the proposed five-year project, investigators aim to develop and evaluate the technology as well as achieve widespread adoption among caregivers of PWDs. Investigators want to enable easy access to information, provide decisional and social support, improve the reach and uptake of existing community service providers, and assist with coordination among multiple informal and professional caregivers through the journey of dementia caregiving and into the bereavement phase.

Connect with a study center

  • Duke-NUS

    Singapore,
    Singapore

    Site Not Available

Not the study for you?

Let us help you find the best match. Sign up as a volunteer and receive email notifications when clinical trials are posted in the medical category of interest to you.