An everyday-task-focused, strategy-based educational program for informal dementia carers: a feasibility and pilot study

Abstract

Abstract Informal carers play an essential role in assisting people living with dementia with everyday tasks. However, there is a lack of individualized educational programs that are everyday-task-focused, with useful caring strategies as resources, providing a collaborative approach to support carers to assist with declining performance in everyday tasks for people with dementia. This study aimed to pilot test the feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of such a program to improve carer burden, quality of life and performance in everyday tasks for their care-recipient. Sixteen carers of people living with dementia participated in the seven-week educational program. The results showed the program’s feasibility, with excellent attendance and retention rates, and positive feedback from the carers showed acceptability. Improved personal growth for carers and increased attention to conversation and shopping for care-recipients were key findings. Our preliminary findings support using an everyday-task-focused, strategy-based educational program to improve dementia carer’s well-being and care-recipients’ performance in everyday tasks.