Linking two new E-health caregiver interventions to meeting centres for people with dementia and their carers; a process evaluation

Abstract

Objectives: Research shows that carers of people with dementia experience worse physical and psychological functioning than non-caregivers or than caregivers of people with a different chronic illness. This study investigated the implementation of two new e-health interventions for carers of people with dementia, Dementelcoach (telephone coaching) and STAR e-learning (online platform to learn about dementia). The interventions were linked to existing Meeting Centres for people with dementia and their carers.

Method: We conducted a qualitative multiple case study. Semi-structured interviews regarding experienced influencing factors were conducted with 15 key figures/stakeholders (14 interviews) in eight Meeting Centres during the preparation, starting and continuation phases of the implementation of Dementelcoach and STAR e-learning.

Results: Several influencing factors were found on micro level (e.g. PR, training, qualified personnel), meso level (e.g. finances, division of tasks) and macro level (e.g. laws and regulations, national and regional policy) during the different phases of the implementation process. Factors mentioned by most stakeholders were human and financial resources. Another important factor found was the fit between the interventions and region.

Conclusion: Insight into facilitators and barriers in the implementation of Dementelcoach and STAR e-learning provided by this study will inform and enable other Meeting Centres to adopt a fitting strategy to implement these interventions in their own centre. This is expected to help disseminate the intervention further, and will result in better-informed and supported carers. This will contribute to the prevention of overburdening in carers and will potentially enable carers to provide better care for their relatives with dementia.

Keywords:

• Dementia
• implementation
• Meeting Centres
• e-health
• process evaluation

Disclosure statement

No conflict of interest to report.

Ethical approval

The Medical Ethics Committee and the Science Committee of the VU University Medical Centre Amsterdam approved the study protocol. Additionally, this study is registred in the Dutch National Trial Register (NTR), number NTR5521.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the ZonMw Memorabel program, Foundation Dijkverzwaring, Foundation Dioraphte, Foundation RCOAK, Foundation Sluyterman Van Loo, Bavo foundation, Hofje Codde en Van Beresteyn Foundation and the Municipality of Amsterdam. The funding organizations had no influence on the data collection, data analyses or reporting. The authors have not entered into an agreement with the funding organizations that has limited their ability to complete the research as planned and publish the results. The authors have had full control of all the primary data.