Development of An Exergame for Caregivers of Individuals With Alzheimer's Disease or Related Dementias

Brief Summary

Detailed Description

The number of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) caregivers providing informal care for family members is rising dramatically, and supportive programs are vitally needed. Caregivers of AD patients have relatively high levels of stress and depression and limited physical activity and social engagement. Technology-driven programs can offer engaging, sustainable, and scalable opportunities to give caregivers critically-needed supports for health and well- being. This pilot study uses cognitive behavioral methods to develop an innovative social exergame to increase physical and social activity among AD caregivers. Leveraging wearable activity monitors, physical activity data collected throughout the day and in varied settings will serve as input to the game experience. Caregivers will assess the suitability of an exergame prototype with an array of features including (1) instructional exercise modules, (2) activity data visualizations, (3) digital rewards for physical activity that can be used to create virtual gardens, and (4) opportunities to connect virtually with other caregivers to share and comment on their creative products. The aim of this study is to evaluate enjoyment of the exergame and its feasibility to increase moderate and vigorous physical activity, virtual social contact, and exercise self-efficacy. A group of approximately 20 caregivers will test the exergame for six weeks on an Android smartphone. The findings will be used to develop larger-scale intervention studies to test the efficacy of the exergame in the future. Tailoring an exergame for caregivers of AD has the potential to increase physical activity and to improve overall health and well-being in this vulnerable population, which in turn can benefit the Alzheimer's patients for whom they provide care. All participants will be given a fitness tracker to keep after the study, a value of over $100! Participants will receive $5 Amazon Gift card each week upon completion of each weekly questionnaire. Participants can receive up to a $30 of Amazon Gift card upon completion of weekly questionnaire.

Primary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes

• Caregiver's Management of Distress(Baseline (pretest) and 6 weeks from the start of the intervention (posttest))
• Exercise Self-efficacy(Baseline (pretest) and 6 weeks from the start of the intervention (posttest))
• Number of Social Contacts(Daily for six weeks)