Connecting Caregivers With Community Services: The Care Buddy Platform

NCT06817876 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 2022-309
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 210
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The study aims to develop a mobile-app (Care Buddy) which will be a one-stop integrated source of information and technology-based solutions for caregivers of people with dementia (PWDs). Study aims to bring caregivers into closer partnerships with the wider ecosystem (e.g., healthcare practitioners, community services, peer support, and care service providers) which will ultimately improve outcomes for both PWDs and their caregivers.

Conditions

Dementia

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (6)

• Caregiver Psychological well-being

  Flourish - range - 8 - 56, high score represents a person with many psychological resources and strengths

  1 year from data collection

• Caregiver social scale

  Friendship scale - The score range is 0-24. A high score represents social connectedness and a score of "0" complete social isolation

  1 year from data collection

• Caregiver Dementia Knowledge

  The Dementia Knowledge Assessment Tool - range - 0-21. High score equals to higher knowledge of dementia.

  1 year from data collection

• Caregiver Impact

  Revised Memory \& Behavior Problem checklist - range - 0-96 Higher score indicates increased impact.

  1 year from data collection

• Caregiver Burden

  Zarit Burden scale - range 0-88. 0 - 21 little or no burden, 21 - 40 mild to moderate burden, 41 - 60 moderate to severe burden, 61 - 88 severe burden \>34 - clinically significant burden.

  1 year from data collection

• Caregiver Stress

  Perceived Stress Scale: Scoring: PSS scores are obtained by reversing responses (e.g., 0 = 4, 1 = 3, 2 = 2, 3 = 1 \& 4 = 0) to the four positively stated items (items 4, 5, 7, \& 8) and then summing across all scale items.

  1 year from data collection

Other Outcomes (1)

• Health care costs

  1 year from data collection

Study Arms (2)

CareBuddy

EXPERIMENTAL

Caregivers of person with dementia who will be randomized in this arm will have access to the CareBuddy mobile app on their phone. They will be using this app for 1 year and will be followed up every 2 months.

Device: Care Buddy

Usual care

NO INTERVENTION

Caregivers of person with dementia who will be randomized in this arm will continue usual care for their loved one. They will be enrolled for 1 year and will be followed up every 2 months.

Interventions

Care Buddy DEVICE

Care Buddy mobile intervention will be a one-stop solution for caregivers of dementia patients and help them in their care-giving journey by providing them solutions to manage behavioural problems, physical conditions of their loved one. The app will be multi-component and will provide tools for the caregiver to manage their stress and burden. It will provide information on dementia, list of service providers, information on grief, financial support. This app will provide a platform for all enrolled caregivers to chat with each other and provide social support.

CareBuddy

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 21 Years - 80 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Singaporean/Permanent residents
• Age 21 years of age or older
• Main person or one of the main persons involved in making decisions regarding treatment patient receives or responsible for ensuring the well-being of the patient
• An active primary caregiver for at least 6 months, and planning to remain the primary caregiver for the next 2 years
• Is a family member of the patient with dementia
• Can read and write in English
• Accessible by telephone to schedule interviews
• Has familiarity with use of technology (e.g., computers, tablets, or internet) and is able to complete surveys, forms using digital technology
• Intact cognition determined through the Abbreviated Mental Test (AMT) for those who are ≥ 65 years old.
• Caregivers who score \>=9 on the 6-item Zarit Burden scale

You may not qualify if:

• Caregivers of patients staying in nursing home or other long-term care facility with no intention of being discharged will not be eligible however, if the patient is admitted to respite care for short/long term duration after being recruited, caregivers can continue to participate.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School: lead
• Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR): collaborator
• Khoo Teck Puat Hospital: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Duke-NUS

Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Dementia

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Neurocognitive Disorders; Mental Disorders

Central Study Contacts

Chetna Malhotra, MD, MPH

CONTACT

+65 65165692; chetna.malhotra@duke-nus.edu.sg

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 5, 2025
• First Posted: February 10, 2025
• Study Start: April 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): May 31, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): May 31, 2027
• Last Updated: April 15, 2026

Record last verified: 2025-10

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

SG (1)