Work Package 4 (CareCoach Study) is a randomised controlled trial to evaluate CareCoach
CareCoach Study: Testing the clinical and cost-effectiveness of CareCoach for family carers of people living with dementia.
What is the CareCoach Study about?
People who care for people living with dementia (who we refer to as carers or caregivers) need to have information and skills to manage and support the day-to-day care they provide. The aim of this study is to test the effects of using an online support package for carers called CareCoach. In other words, the study will test whether CareCoach has an effect on carer’s sense of being able to care well, their mood and quality of life. We must test this before we can make it available to people across the UK.
What is involved?
We aim to recruit 404 family carers (participants) over 12 months to take part in the study. This is a randomised trial, so half of the participants enrolled in the study will be randomly (like flipping a coin) allocated to one of two groups:
- One group will receive CareCoach (CareCoach group) for 8-weeks, guided by a ‘coach’ remotely.
- The other group will not (they can access support that is normally available to them via the NHS or charity services) but at the end of the study, they will be offered access to the CareCoach online materials.
For each participant, the whole study will take 6-months, and no travel is involved as it can all be completed remotely (e.g. over the internet).
Who can take part?
Carers who meet the inclusion criteria below would be eligible (as long as they do not meet the ‘exclusion criteria’ below).
Inclusion criteria
- Currently care/support (e.g., informally, unpaid*) for a person living with dementia (may be a partner, family member, in-law, close friend, or neighbour).
- The person living with dementia (all subtypes) has been diagnosed within the last 5 years.
- 18 years or over.
- Living in the UK.
- Access to a device with a camera and microphone which connects to the internet (e.g., laptop, tablet, smartphone).
- Seeking to learn new skills and knowledge to cope well while caring for a person living with dementia.
- Able to engage in and understand the programme delivered in English (with the help of family interpreter if required).
*Individuals claiming carer’s allowance are not excluded.
Exclusion criteria
- Potential participants with insufficient cognitive abilities to engage with the online programme.
- Potential participants who report feeling overburdened.
- The person living with dementia currently resides in a care home.
- Taking part or recently taken part in research study using a similar behaviour change or psychological intervention.
- Taken part in the CareCoach feasibility study.
- Is a paid, professional carer.
Multiple members of the same family (e.g., individuals caring for the same person living with dementia) should not sign up for the trial to avoid potential contamination between groups.”
The protocol will be shared here soon.
We are recruiting family carers from NHS organisations, GP practices and research centres. Family carers can also sign-up to the study themselves, see the “Take Part” tab
