Caregiver Wellbeing

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the acceptability and feasibility of implementing a novel, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) intervention to caregivers and supporters of individuals who have experienced psychosis, regardless of their relative's engagement in treatment specific to psychosis (i.e., coordinated specialty care (CSC) services). Additionally, the investigators will assess the secondary aim of impact on well-being as a result of the intervention.

The primary objective of this study is to identify and support hidden caregivers of older adults. Caregivers are assessed before the intervention on their mental well-being and social connectedness. Caregivers are triaged into four levels: low, mild, moderate and high. They will receive different types of services (intervention) accordingly. At the end of the service period (or 6-months after the baseline), caregivers and care recipients will complete the assessment again to measure the changes of the primary outcomes.

The goal of this study is to investigate whether the in-home respite service model is effective in relieving caregiver's burden and improving their mental wellbeing. Caregivers are triaged into four levels of needs using a self-developed screening tool. Those screened as mild and moderate levels are admitted to the study, while those in low or high-needs levels are referred to other services. Caregivers admitted in this study will receive either 12 or 36 hours of in-home respite services as the intervention. Trained volunteers or substitute caregivers will visit their home to take care the older adults, providing several hours of free time for the caregivers. Assessments are conducted before and immediate after the intervention, and 3, 6, 12 months after the completion of intervention, to measure the changes in mental wellbeing of the caregivers. A control group with no respite service provided is recruited to compare the effects in the changes of mental wellbeing.

The general objective of this pilot feasibility study is to implement the pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT) and evaluate the feasibility of its methods and procedures for iSupport-Malaysia intervention. Another objective is to assess the acceptability and preliminary impacts of the iSupport-Malaysia web-based intervention on the psychological well-being of informal caregivers (ICs) of persons living with dementia (PLWDs) in Malaysia, compared to iSupport-Malaysia eBook. The main questions this pilot study aims to answer are: 1. How feasible is it to implement iSupport-Malaysia as an accessible resource for ICs of PLWD in Malaysia? 2. Does the use of iSupport-Malaysia lead to a reduction in caregiver burden among the ICs of PLWD in both web and eBook conditions? 3. Does the use of iSupport-Malaysia lead to improvements in psychological well-being (e.g. reduced depression, anxiety, stress; and increased quality of life) among the ICs of PLWD in both web and eBook conditions? 4. What are the perceptions of ICs of PLWD on the usability, satisfaction and perceived usefulness of the modules in iSupport-Malaysia? To answer these research questions: Seventy ICs of PLWD who met the study criteria will be recruited from the geriatric facilities of three hospitals, as well as via social media and referrals from elderly care centres. Eligible participants will sign an informed consent form, and be randomly assigned to the intervention (iSupport-Malaysia web program) or active comparison group (iSupport-Malaysia eBook) using stratified block randomisation. In both arms, participants are required to complete at least 10 out of 23 lessons within 3 months. Outcome measures will be administered online at baseline, 1-month and 3-month follow-up. Feasibility outcomes will also be measured. Upon completion of the program, ICs in the experimental group will be invited for in-depth interviews via an online teleconferencing platform. Expected outputs: A free, adaptive web-based iSupport-Malaysia in the local Malay language. iSupport-Malaysia can facilitate self-directed training in public and private dementia services, integrate into caregiver training programs, and promote self-directed public education on dementia care.