Evaluation of the PACE/PACENET BHL Caregiver Outreach and Telehealth Education Program

The University of Pennsylvania's Caregiver Resources, Education, & SupporT (CREST) Program seeks to improve the overall quality of life and wellbeing of older PACE/PACENET beneficiaries (or care recipients (CRs)) with cognitive impairment and their caregivers (CGs). Specifically, the program provides education, support, and services to both beneficiaries and CGs of PACE/PACENET beneficiaries who have filled a prescription for medication used to treat cognitive impairment. Many of these beneficiaries also meet criteria for clinically significant cognitive impairment/dementia. Thus, the level of contact and services varies as a function of reported needs and symptoms.

The CREST Program developed the BHL Caregiver Outreach and Telehealth Program (COTP) in an effort to address and minimize barriers to successful care management of a growing number of community-dwelling older adults. The COTP starts with an initial baseline assessment; following the baseline assessment, it is then divided into several core services. CGs receive care management services, which includes contact, support, and active listening, as well as written material regarding caregiving and dementia and referral to appropriate community services. CGs also are offered the Telehealth Education Program (TEP), a manualized program developed to provide both education and psychosocial support for individuals caring for older adults with clinically significant cognitive impairment/dementia.

This research project seeks to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and individual-level outcomes of a subset of participants engaged in the COPT program. Specifically, the investigators will examine the impact of the COPT program on the functioning and wellbeing of participating cognitively impaired PACE/PACENET beneficiaries and their informal CGs.

Retrospective clinical program data on COTP beneficiaries and the CGs collected at intake (i.e., baseline), over the course of care management, and at program termination (i.e., approximately 3 months following intake) will be extracted from clinical databases for program evaluation purposes. The researchers will use data collected during the clinical program to evaluate CR and CG characteristics, self-reported needs, care participation, and predictors of improved outcomes at 3 and 6 months.

A single follow-up research evaluation will be conducted at 6 months post baseline. This the 6 month follow-up research interviews will evaluate the extent to which a clinical care management program (COTP) for older adults with clinically significant cognitive impairment and/or dementia and the CGs, 1) facilitates access to and the use of medical and social services, and 2) improves CR (e.g., behavioral symptoms, delayed nursing home placement) and CG (e.g., CG mastery, burden, affect) outcomes.