Williams, Kristine N.

Background: Determining the cost‐effectiveness of technological interventions is a crucial aspect in assuring these interventions can be adopted. The FamTechCare intervention is an innovative telehealth support that links family caregivers of persons living with dementia to tailored feedback from dementia care experts based on caregiver‐initiated video recordings of challenging care situations. The FamTechCare intervention has demonstrated significant reductions in caregiver depression and increases in caregiver competence when compared to standard telephone support.

The Supporting Family Caregivers with Technology trial tested the FamTechCare video support intervention against telephone support. Dementia caregivers' video-recorded challenging care encounters and an interdisciplinary team provided tailored feedback. This paper reports on the effects of the intervention on caregiver confidence in managing priority challenges, a secondary outcome of this non-blinded parallel randomized controlled trial.

Identifying the needs of dementia caregivers is critical for supporting dementia home care. This study identified a typology of expert interventions delivered to dementia caregivers during an innovative telehealth trial that used in-home video recordings to directly observe care challenges. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze narrative notes describing interventions that were developed based on video data submitted by 33 caregiver–care recipient dyads. Two major themes emerged: education and skills for dementia care and caregiver support.

Background and Objectives: The number of persons living with dementia (PLWD) in the United States will reach 16 million by 2050. Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia challenge family caregivers and contribute to negative caregiver outcomes such as burden and depression. Available technology can support the delivery of effective interventions to families providing dementia care at home.