Effect of a tailored assistive technology intervention on older adults and their family caregiver: a pragmatic study protocol

BMC Geriatrics

Study Protocol

Michelle Plante¹  Louise Demers²  W. Ben Mortenson³  Frank DeRuyter⁴  Marcus J. Fuhrer⁵  Jasmine Mah⁶  Jeffrey W. Jutai⁷ 

[1] Centre de recherche de l’Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal, Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, Montréal, PQ, Canada;Centre de recherche de l’Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal, Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, Montréal, PQ, Canada;École de réadaptation, Université de Montréal, Montréal, PQ, Canada;Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada;GF Strong Rehabilitation Research Program, Vancouver, BC, Canada;International Collaboration on Repair Discovery, Vancouver, BC, Canada;Department of Surgery/Speech Pathology and Audiology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA;Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA;Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada;Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada;Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada;

关键词: Randomized control trial;    Older adults;    Assistive technology;    Informal caregiving;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12877-016-0269-3

 received in 2016-03-22, accepted in 2016-04-28,  发布年份 2016

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundMany older adults with mobility limitations use assistive technology to help them perform daily activities. However, little attention has been paid to the impact on their family caregivers. This neglect produces an incomplete portrayal of the outcomes of assistive technology provision. This paper describes the protocol for a study that examines the impact of a tailored assistive technology intervention that is inclusive of assistance users and their family caregivers.Methods/designThis research will use a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. The quantitative portion will be an experimental, single-blinded study in which participants are randomly assigned to either an experimental assistive technology intervention or a standard care group. We will enroll 240 participants (120 dyads) into the study from three Canadian sites. Participants will include older adults (>55) and family caregivers who provide ≥4 h per week of assistance with daily activities and social participation. The primary outcome measure for the older adults will be the Functional Autonomy Measurement System, and the primary outcome measure for the caregivers will be the Caregiver Assistive Technology Outcomes Measure. Qualitative data will be collected through detailed records of the therapists’ interventions, as well as through interviews with dyads and therapists following the interventions. Data collection will occur at baseline (T0) with follow-ups at 6 weeks (T1), 22 weeks (T2), and 58 weeks (T3) after baseline evaluation.DiscussionThe findings from this study will help service providers and clinicians to move forward with assistive technology recommendations that are more attuned to the needs of both older adults with mobility limitations and their family caregivers. Additionally, the study’s findings will enhance our conceptual understanding of the spectrum of assistive technology outcomes and set the stage for econometric studies assessing cost-effectiveness.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01640470. Registered 11/21/2011.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Demers et al. 2016