The Effectiveness of Smartphone-Based Videoconferencing Program in Enhancing the Health Statuses of Dementia Residents and Their Family Members

Psychological health is an important issue in nursing home residents with dementia and their family members. Our previous research (NSC 96/8/1~100/7/31) has shown the effectiveness of videoconferencing in reducing depression amongst nursing home residents with clear cognitive abilities. However, residents with dementia and their family members were not included in that research. Hence, the purpose of this study is to conduct a randomized trial to evaluate the effectiveness of the smartphone-based videoconferencing interaction program in improving the psychological health of nursing home residents with dementia as well as their family members. This three-year, multi-staged nursing home study seeks to build a comprehensive intervention program that enhances the health of nursing home residents with dementia and their family. For the first one and one-half-year, a qualitative interview will be carried out to understand the meaning and needs ascribed by family members for vising nursing home residents with dementia. Verbatim transcripts of audio-taped interviews will be analyzed using thematic analysis. Based on the findings of our qualitative research, we will modify the Family Meaning of Nursing Home Visits Scale to create a dementia family version of that scale. The scale will be tested via construct validity and criterion- related validity. After the newly developed scale has been validated, data regarding trajectory and factors related to the visiting pattern of dementia residents’ family members will be collected at baseline, 6 months and 12 months. In the next one and one-half-year, a 3-month quasi-experimental study will be carried out in order to understand the short and long term effects (baseline, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months) of smartphone based videoconferencing program on dementia resident and their family members. The variables measured will include dementia residents’ health statuses (SF-GDS, CMAI agitation scale, EQ5D, and MMSE) and their family’s health statuses (SF-36 and CESD). The sample size of each group will be 30. Generalized estimated equations (GEE) analysis will be used to understand the long-term effects of each variable. The research findings can serve as guidelines for the development of mHealth intervention programs targeting the health of dementia populations in Taiwan.

Project ID:PC10708-1155
External Project ID:MOST107-2314-B182-009