Upasana Baruah1, Prafulla Shivakumar1, Santosh Loganathan1, Anne Margriet Pot2, Kala M Mehta3, Dolores Gallagher-Thompson4,5, Tarun Dua2, Mathew Varghese1. 1. Geriatric Clinic and Services, Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) , Bangalore, India. 2. Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, World Health Organization (WHO) , Geneva, Switzerland. 3. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco , San Francisco, California, USA. 4. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine , Stanford, California, USA. 5. Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, University of California , Davis, California, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: There is a considerable need for support interventions for caregivers of people with dementia in developing countries, such as India. The purpose of the study was to identify the components and understand the acceptability of an online training and support program for dementia caregivers in India. METHODS: Three focus group discussions were carried out with dementia caregivers (2) and health professionals (1) to understand the requirements of an online training and support program from their perspective. The commonly recurring themes were identified and defined using thematic content analysis. RESULTS: The expectations from an online training and support program were wide-ranging from information about identification and management of dementia to support caregiver well-being. Use of simple language, cultural relevance, and an interactive design were suggestions to facilitate the use of the support program. Lack of time, difficulty in accessing the internet, lack of awareness about the portal, difficulty in reaching the rural population were anticipated as challenges in using the program. CONCLUSIONS: The study highlights the requisite components of a first of its kind online training and support program in India by integrating the experiences, motivations, challenges, and expectations of caregivers and professionals involved in dementia care. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The focus group discussions in the current study provide a road map for the development of an online caregiver training and support program underlying the perspectives of the stakeholders for the consolidation of an effective dementia care program for lower resourced settings.
OBJECTIVES: There is a considerable need for support interventions for caregivers of people with dementia in developing countries, such as India. The purpose of the study was to identify the components and understand the acceptability of an online training and support program for dementia caregivers in India. METHODS: Three focus group discussions were carried out with dementia caregivers (2) and health professionals (1) to understand the requirements of an online training and support program from their perspective. The commonly recurring themes were identified and defined using thematic content analysis. RESULTS: The expectations from an online training and support program were wide-ranging from information about identification and management of dementia to support caregiver well-being. Use of simple language, cultural relevance, and an interactive design were suggestions to facilitate the use of the support program. Lack of time, difficulty in accessing the internet, lack of awareness about the portal, difficulty in reaching the rural population were anticipated as challenges in using the program. CONCLUSIONS: The study highlights the requisite components of a first of its kind online training and support program in India by integrating the experiences, motivations, challenges, and expectations of caregivers and professionals involved in dementia care. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The focus group discussions in the current study provide a road map for the development of an online caregiver training and support program underlying the perspectives of the stakeholders for the consolidation of an effective dementia care program for lower resourced settings.
Entities:
Keywords:
Dementia; India; family caregivers; focus groups; online training and support program