Care Partner Assessment Tool for Dementia

Recruiting in Palo Alto (17 mi)

Overseen by Beth Fields, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Travel: May Be Covered

Time Reimbursement: Varies

Trial Phase: Academic

Recruiting

Sponsor: University of Wisconsin, Madison

Disqualifiers: Non-English speaking

No Placebo Group

Approved in 1 Jurisdiction

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The purpose of this study is to see whether an adapted questionnaire called the Care Partner Hospital Assessment Tool (CHAT) for care partners of hospitalized patients living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) (CHAT-AD) can help people with dementia receive better care after they go home from the hospital. Participants will be a care partner ('family member or friend') who provides unpaid care to a hospitalized adult relative or partner to help them take care of themselves because of dementia. Participants can expect to be in this study for 14 days.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether participants need to stop taking their current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Care Partner Hospital Assessment Tool (CHAT) for dementia?

The CHAT has been shown to be a feasible and appropriate tool for identifying the needs of care partners of hospitalized older adults, which can help tailor education and skills training to better prepare them for caregiving responsibilities. Although it has not yet been specifically tested for dementia care, its design and validation suggest it could be beneficial in this context.

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Is the Care Partner Assessment Tool for Dementia safe for use in humans?

The Care Partner Assessment Tool, also known as CHAT, has been evaluated for its feasibility and appropriateness in hospital settings, but there is no specific safety data available for its use in humans. It is designed to help identify and address the needs of care partners, but it does not involve any direct medical treatment or intervention.

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How does the Care Partner Assessment Tool for Dementia differ from other treatments for dementia?

The Care Partner Assessment Tool for Dementia is unique because it focuses on identifying and preparing care partners (family members or friends) of people with dementia during hospitalization, rather than directly treating the dementia itself. This tool helps ensure that care partners are equipped with the necessary skills and information to support their loved ones, which is a novel approach compared to traditional treatments that primarily target the symptoms of dementia.

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Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for adult care partners who provide unpaid assistance to a hospitalized relative or partner with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias (ADRD). Participants must be over 18 and speak English. It's not suitable for those who cannot communicate in English.

Inclusion Criteria

I am 18 years old or older.

I am an unpaid caregiver for a relative or partner with ADRD in the hospital.

Exclusion Criteria

I do not speak English.

Trial Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Adaptation and Co-design

Adaptation of CHAT-AD through co-design sessions with stakeholders

4 months

5 co-design videoconference sessions

Recruitment and Randomization

Recruitment of care partners and randomization into intervention or control groups

2-4 weeks

Intervention

Participants receive either the adapted CHAT-AD intervention or standard care

14 days

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for outcomes such as care partner satisfaction and burden

72 hours post-discharge

Participant Groups

The study is testing the CHAT-AD, an assessment tool designed to improve post-hospital care for people with dementia. Care partners will use this questionnaire to help ensure better ongoing care once the patient returns home from the hospital.

Group I: Adjusted CHAT-AD Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Using CHAT, participants will be asked questions about their needs to fully support and care for their loved one after the loved one is released from the hospital.

Group II: Standard of Care Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants in this arm will only receive standard of care.

Find a Clinic Near You

Research Locations Nearby Select from list below to view details:

University of Wisconsin Madison, WI

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Wisconsin, Madison Lead Sponsor

National Institutes of Health (NIH) Collaborator

National Institute on Aging (NIA) Collaborator

References

1. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adapting and Testing the Care Partner Hospital Assessment Tool for Use in Dementia Care: Protocol for a 2 Sequential Phase Study. [2023] Research and policy demonstrate the value of and need for systematically identifying and preparing care partners for their caregiving responsibilities while their family member or friend living with dementia is hospitalized. The Care Partner Hospital Assessment Tool (CHAT) has undergone content and face validation and has been endorsed as appropriate by clinicians to facilitate the timely identification and preparation of care partners of older adult patients during their hospitalization. However, the CHAT has not yet been adapted or prospectively evaluated for use with care partners of hospitalized people living with dementia. Adapting and testing the CHAT via a pilot study will provide the necessary evidence to optimize feasibility and enable future efficacy trials.

2. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Improving clinician-carer communication for safer hospital care: a study of the 'TOP 5' strategy in patients with dementia. [2022] To examine the impact of implementing a clinician-carer communication tool for hospitalized patients with dementia.

3. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evaluation of Face Validity and Acceptability of the Care Partner Hospital Assessment Tool. [2023] Care partners of hospitalized older adults report their caregiving needs are not being addressed. The Care Partner Hospital Assessment Tool (CHAT) is a feasible and appropriate tool for practitioners' use with care partners in the hospital setting. This article explores the face validity and acceptability of the CHAT among care partners of hospitalized older adults.

4. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Development and Content Validation of the Care Partner Hospital Assessment Tool. [2022] When aging adults are hospitalized due to a major health event, they often turn to care partners ('family members or friends') for support. Assessment of care partners' needs during hospital care may be important to inform and target information and skills training that will equip them to fulfill caregiving tasks for the aging adults. The objectives of this study were to develop and complete content validation of the Care Partner Hospital Assessment Tool (CHAT).

5. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evaluating the Appropriateness and Feasibility of the Care Partner Hospital Assessment Tool (CHAT). [2021] Hospital practitioners rely on care partners of older adults to provide complex care without identifying and addressing their needs. The Care Partner Hospital Assessment Tool (CHAT) was developed to identify the education skill training needs of care partners of hospitalized older adults. This two-phased mixed-method study evaluated the appropriateness and feasibility of the CHAT. The phase 1 quantitative survey with caregiving experts indicated 70-100% agreement for the length and helpfulness of the CHAT (n = 23). These results were supported by phase 2 qualitative interviews with hospital administrators and practitioners, which revealed the following themes: (1) intuitive and clear design worth sustaining and (2) concerns and proposed solutions for implementation. Findings suggest the CHAT is an appropriate and feasible tool for hospital practitioners to tailor their education and skills training to address care partners' needs. Identifying care partners' needs is an important step in ensuring they are prepared to complete their caregiving responsibilities.

6. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Measuring the interactions of people with dementia and their conversation partners: a preliminary adaption of the Kagan measures of support and participation in conversation. [2021] While dementia can negatively affect communication, positive interactions can be facilitated by the conversation partners of people with dementia. There are few assessment tools designed to evaluate the support provided by the conversation partner and the resulting participation of the person with dementia. This study reports on an adaptation of the Measure of Support in Conversation (MSC) and Measure of Participation in Conversation (MPC) scales for use with people with dementia and their conversation partners (the MSC Dementia and MPC Dementia, respectively) and investigates the inter-and intra-rater reliability of these adapted measures.