We are evaluating the caregiver support initiatives at a tertiary hospital in Singapore (Tan Tock Seng Hospital - TTSH) provided to caregivers caring for older patients.
The evaluation will focus on 1) evaluating the process / delivery / implementation of these initiatives to caregivers and 2) the outcomes of caregivers and their care recipients after receiving these caregiver support services at TTSH. Research questions are as follows:
Process evaluation:
1. How are the bundle(s) of caregiver support initiatives at TTSH delivered to caregivers? 2. What and how was impact achieved for these initiatives?
Outcome evaluation: 3. Did caregivers (and patients) benefit from these support initiatives and how? 4. Which aspects of the caregiver support initiatives are most beneficial to caregivers (and patients)?
Eligible caregivers will be invited to take part in the study and to complete 3 surveys and an optional interview over the period of their care recipients' hospital stay at TTSH, and 2 months after discharge. During their care recipients' stay, they may be introduced to any of the caregiver support initiatives, based on their needs. Caregivers enrolled in this study will take part in 3 surveys - 1 conducted at the beginning of care recipients' hospital stay, 1 conducted around the discharge period and 1 conducted one month after discharge. The aim of the surveys is to find out if caregivers have attended or used any of these services and whether they benefited from them.
21 years of age and above
Main or secondary caregiver of an older person receiving home-based care
Able to read and converse in English
Has a mobile smartphone and is able to navigate basic functionalities on mobile apps
Participants who are cognitively impaired
Unwilling to download and utilise app
Unable to read or converse in English comfortably
Sequential
Caregiver Support Model
Other intervention1. CarePal: A one-stop resource library for caregivers of older adults 2. Nasogastric tube (NGT) webapp: An electronic training platform to learn NGT feeding and management 3. Carer OnBoard programme 4. Caregiver resources in NHG Health App (NHA): Relevant healthcare professionals or TTSH staff will introduce caregivers to the resources they may need in the NHA app. 5. Carer guide, a resource booklet providing information and community resources for caregivers. 6. Group Caregiver Training, for caregivers who are able to attend group caregiver training (instead of learning at the bedside); 7. NHG Care Telephonic team to provide telephonic support to caregivers post-discharge. 8. Nurses or other healthcare professionals providing relevant information on community programmes
Standard caregiver support
Other interventionParticipants are provided standard bedside caregiver education as appropriate and information reinforcement through leaflets and booklets
Preparedness for Caregiving Scale
8-item scale measuring caregiver preparedness for caregiving. Average score ranges from 0 - 4, higher score indicating better preparedness for caregiving
Caregiver Resourcefulness Scale
8-item scale measuring caregiver resourcefulness. Total score calculated ranging from 8 - 40 with higher scores indicating higher resourcefulness
Zarit Burden Scale - 12 Item
12-item scale measuring caregiver burden. Total score calculated range from 0-48, with higher scores indicating higher burden
Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale
14-item scale measuring anxiety and depression. Anxiety measured over 7 items, with score ranging from 0-21, with higher scores indicating higher anxiety. Depression measured over 7 items, with score ranging from 0-21, with higher scores indicating higher depression
EQ5D-5L
5-level EQ-5D version to measure mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression of participants. This includes the EQ VAS, recording self-rated health on a vertical visual analogue scale where the endpoints are labelled 'The best health you can imagine' and 'The worst health you can imagine'.
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