Pilot Evaluation of Technology-enhanced Horticultural Activities Among the People With Dementia and Their Family Caregivers

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University1 个研究点分布在 1 个国家目标入组 60 人开始时间: 2022年9月1日最近更新: 2022年10月13日

适应症

试验速览

阶段: 不适用
状态: 招募中
发起方: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
入组人数: 60
试验地点: 1
主要终点: The Chinese version of Positive Aspect of Caregiving scale (PAC)

研究概览研究设计入排标准结局指标研究者研究点记录与标识符相似试验

研究概览

简要总结

Horticultural therapy is one of the effective interventions for the person with dementia(PWD) which could increase their time engaging in leisure activities and decrease their time doing nothing. However, there are some limitations and constraints for PWD to participate in the horticultural therapy especially in the high-density cities (e.g. Hong Kong). This study aims to investigate the feasibility and preliminary effects of adopting home-based technology-enhanced horticultural activities. The program will consist of three face-to-face (F-T-F) horticultural activity training session for a group of 6-8 participants and then biweekly telephone follow-up for 8-week home-based horticultural intervention. Program evaluation will be conducted through focus groups with 15 participants with different levels of stress reduction after the intervention. It is hypothesized that the PWD and their caregiver will have a significant improvement in the cognitive function and behavioral symptoms of the PWD, an increase in the positive caregiving experience in the family caregivers, a reduction of the caregivers' level of stress and depressive symptoms, and enhancement of the quality of life of the family caregivers after the intervention.

详细描述

Objective This study aims to investigate the feasibility and preliminary effects of adopting home-based technology-enhanced horticultural activities to: a) improve the cognitive function and behavioral symptoms of the PWD; b) promote the positive caregiving experience in the family caregivers; c) reduce the caregivers' level of stress and depressive symptoms; and d) improve the quality of life of the family caregivers. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first program adopting Smart Grower for horticultural intervention among the PWD and their family caregivers in Hong Kong.

Method The home-based technology-enhanced horticultural activities will be delivered for the people with dementia and their family caregivers through a smart grower. The smart grower is a hydroponic indoor grower that builds a controllable environment with auto optimization for growing healthy plants, fresh vegetables, herbs, and fruits. A mobile app will be connected to the grower for controlling the growing environment (e.g. lighting, watering), tracking the progress of the plants, guiding the older people with dementia and their family caregiver to conduct the horticulture activities. The program will consist of three face-to-face (F-T-F) horticultural activity training session for a group of 6-8 participants and then biweekly telephone follow-up for 8-week home-based horticultural intervention. The home-based program contains different horticultural, cognitive and multisensory stimulation activities such asking the PWD and the family caregiver to record the sense of touch and odor when taking care of the plant and the various changes of the plants by using the smart grower. Program evaluation will be conducted through focus groups with 15 participants with different levels of stress reduction after the intervention. The aims of the focus groups is to identify the strengths, limitations, and difficulties of the home-based technology-enhanced horticultural program.

Significance and Value In this project, we would like to collaborate with the elderly center to deliver the technology-enhanced horticultural activities for PWD in the community and make this program sustainable in the community. Meanwhile, we will collect the users' feedback and further modify the program to fit the needs of the people with dementia and the family caregivers.

In the future, we hope that the program will not only benefit the community-dwelling older people but also those receiving service in the respite center, day care center, hospice and nursing home as they are also facing the challenges of manpower shortage, issues of loneness and poor psychological health. We will base on the data and results collected from this proposed study and further revise the program and software for servicing the older people in nursing through a group-based approach.

研究设计

研究类型: Interventional
分配方式: Na
干预模型: Single Group
主要目的: Supportive Care
盲法: None

入排标准

年龄范围: 18 Years 至 —（Adult, Older Adult）
性别: All
接受健康志愿者: 是

入选标准

•Aged 65 or above who had been diagnosed with any type of dementia at the early to moderate stage
•Are Community-dwelling (i.e., non-institutionalized),
•Are Able to understand Cantonese and follow simple instruction
•The family caregivers
•Aged 18 years or above;
•the blood or by-marriage relatives (e.g. spouses, siblings, children, and grandchildren) of a person who has been clinically diagnosed with dementia, regardless of its types and these relatives are taking up the caring responsibilities ranging from physical aids to emotional supports, in the form of transportation, financial assistance, personal hygiene, and decision-making.;
•Providing most of the daily care and support for PWD (daily contact for at least four hours); and
•Able to speak Cantonese

排除标准

•The PWD and the family caregivers
•Are diagnosed with a mental disorder such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, dementia, or depression; and/or,
•Are taking anticonvulsants, or any kind of psychotropic drugs, and/or identified with a self-reported suicidal thought or drug abuse in the past 6 months.