Evaluating the Effectiveness and Implementation of Caregiver Support Initiatives for Caregivers of Older Patients in Singapore

NCT07090837 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: ECOS2024/00077
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 400
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

We are evaluating the caregiver support initiatives at a tertiary hospital in Singapore (Tan Tock Seng Hospital - TTSH) provided to caregivers caring for older patients. The evaluation will focus on 1) evaluating the process / delivery / implementation of these initiatives to caregivers and 2) the outcomes of caregivers and their care recipients after receiving these caregiver support services at TTSH. Research questions are as follows: Process evaluation:

1. 1.How are the bundle(s) of caregiver support initiatives at TTSH delivered to caregivers?
2. 2.What and how was impact achieved for these initiatives?
3. 3.Did caregivers (and patients) benefit from these support initiatives and how?
4. 4.Which aspects of the caregiver support initiatives are most beneficial to caregivers (and patients)?

Conditions

Caregiver; Caregiver Stress; Caregiver Resilience and Stress

Keywords

Caregiver; Caregiver burden; Caregiver stress; Digital health; Caregiver support

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Preparedness for Caregiving Scale

  8-item scale measuring caregiver preparedness for caregiving. Average score ranges from 0 - 4, higher score indicating better preparedness for caregiving

  1 month

• Caregiver Resourcefulness Scale

  8-item scale measuring caregiver resourcefulness. Total score calculated ranging from 8 - 40 with higher scores indicating higher resourcefulness

  1 month

• Zarit Burden Scale - 12 Item

  12-item scale measuring caregiver burden. Total score calculated range from 0-48, with higher scores indicating higher burden

  1 month

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale

  1 month

• EQ5D-5L

  1 month

Study Arms (2)

Intervention arm

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants receive the following interventions as deemed appropriate based on their caregiving and learning needs: 1. CarePal: A one-stop resource library for caregivers of older adults 2. Nasogastric tube (NGT) webapp: An electronic training platform to learn NGT feeding and management 3. Carer OnBoard programme 4. Caregiver resources in NHG Health App (NHA): Relevant healthcare professionals or TTSH staff will introduce caregivers to the resources they may need in the NHA app. ; 5. Carer guide, a resource booklet providing information and community resources for caregivers. 6. Group Caregiver Training, for caregivers who are able to attend group caregiver training (instead of learning at the bedside); 7. NHG Care Telephonic team to provide telephonic support to caregivers post-discharge. 8. Nurses or other healthcare professionals providing relevant information on community programmes

Other: Caregiver Support Model

Control Arm

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Participants in this group will receive standard caregiver support

Other: Standard caregiver support

Interventions

Caregiver Support Model OTHER

1. CarePal: A one-stop resource library for caregivers of older adults 2. Nasogastric tube (NGT) webapp: An electronic training platform to learn NGT feeding and management 3. Carer OnBoard programme 4. Caregiver resources in NHG Health App (NHA): Relevant healthcare professionals or TTSH staff will introduce caregivers to the resources they may need in the NHA app. 5. Carer guide, a resource booklet providing information and community resources for caregivers. 6. Group Caregiver Training, for caregivers who are able to attend group caregiver training (instead of learning at the bedside); 7. NHG Care Telephonic team to provide telephonic support to caregivers post-discharge. 8. Nurses or other healthcare professionals providing relevant information on community programmes

Intervention arm

Standard caregiver support OTHER

Participants are provided standard bedside caregiver education as appropriate and information reinforcement through leaflets and booklets

Control Arm

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• years of age and above
• Main or secondary caregiver of an older person receiving home-based care
• Able to read and converse in English
• Has a mobile smartphone and is able to navigate basic functionalities on mobile apps

You may not qualify if:

• Participants who are cognitively impaired
• Unwilling to download and utilise app
• Unable to read or converse in English comfortably

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Tan Tock Seng Hospital: lead

Study Sites (1)

Tan Tock Seng Hospital

Singapore, Singapore

RECRUITING

Related Publications (8)

• Chan EY, Phang KN, Glass GF Jr, Lim WS. Crossing, Trudging and Settling: A phenomenological inquiry into lived experience of Asian family caregivers of older persons with dementia. Geriatr Nurs. 2019 Sep-Oct;40(5):502-509. doi: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2019.03.015. Epub 2019 Apr 9.

  PMID: 30979516 BACKGROUND

• Sarafian V, Dimova P, Georgiev I, Taskov H. ABH blood group antigen significance as markers of endothelial differentiation of mesenchymal cells. Folia Med (Plovdiv). 1997;39(2):5-9.

  PMID: 9314660 BACKGROUND

• Beynel P, Guigay J, Vauterin G. [Chronic cor pulmonale after embolism, antiphospholipid syndrome, Horton disease: therapeutic approach apropos of a case]. Rev Pneumol Clin. 1997;53(3):162-6. French.

  PMID: 9296119 BACKGROUND

• Loke SXY, Chew EYH, Siew AL, Glass GF Jr, Chan EY. Transiting Back Home: Caregivers' Lived Experiences in Caring for Loved Ones on the Nasogastric Tube in the Home-Setting in Singapore. J Transcult Nurs. 2023 Sep;34(5):343-355. doi: 10.1177/10436596231175163. Epub 2023 May 24.

  PMID: 37226459 BACKGROUND

• Saleh ZM, Williams GA, Taylor PC. Nuclear-magnetic-resonance relaxation in glassy Cu-As-Se and Cu-As-S. Phys Rev B Condens Matter. 1993 Mar 1;47(9):4990-5001. doi: 10.1103/physrevb.47.4990. No abstract available.

  PMID: 10006659 BACKGROUND

• Coyle BR, Ubel PA. Spiritual values in the setting of health care priorities. Kennedy Inst Ethics J. 2000 Mar;10(1):107-8. No abstract available.

  PMID: 11658152 BACKGROUND

• Leder SB. Serial fiberoptic endoscopic swallowing evaluations in the management of patients with dysphagia. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1998 Oct;79(10):1264-9. doi: 10.1016/s0003-9993(98)90273-8.

  PMID: 9779682 BACKGROUND

• Garcia-Martinez J, Linares A, Suarez MD, Garcia-Peregrin E. [Effect of sulfhydryl reagents on mevalonate kinase partially purified from chicken liver]. Rev Esp Fisiol. 1982 Dec;38(4):393-6. Spanish.

  PMID: 6302747 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Caregiver Burden

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Stress, Psychological; Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior

Central Study Contacts

George Glass

CONTACT

+65 6903 5384; glass_george_frederick@ttsh.com.sg

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NON RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: SEQUENTIAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 21, 2025
• First Posted: July 29, 2025
• Study Start: May 8, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): May 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): May 1, 2027
• Last Updated: July 29, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-07

Locations

SG (1)