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Developing a management guide (The Dempower App) for couples where one partner has dementia: Nonrandomized feasibility study
Social Care and Society, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
Jönköping University, School of Health and Welfare, HHJ, Institute of Gerontology.ORCID iD: 0000-0001-9021-1802
ivision of Population Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
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2021 (English)In: JMIR Aging, E-ISSN 2561-7605, Vol. 4, no 4, article id e16824Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Background: Promoting the health and well-being of couples where one partner has dementia is an overlooked area of care practice. Most postdiagnostic services currently lack a couple-centered approach and have a limited focus on the couple relationship. To help address this situation, we developed a tablet-based self-management guide (DemPower) focused on helping couples enhance their well-being and relationship quality. Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility and acceptability of the DemPower app. Methods: A nonrandomized feasibility design was used to evaluate the DemPower intervention over 3 months among couples where a partner had a diagnosis of dementia. The study recruited 25 couples in the United Kingdom and 19 couples in Sweden. Outcome measures were obtained at baseline and postintervention. The study process and interventions were evaluated at various stages. Results: The study was completed by 48% (21/44) of couples where one partner had dementia, of whom 86% (18/21) of couples accessed all parts of the DemPower app. Each couple spent an average of 8 hours (SD 3.35 hours) using the app during the study period. In total, 90% (19/21) of couples reported that all sections of DemPower were useful in addressing various aspects of daily life and helped to focus on how they interacted in their relationship. Of the 4 core subjects on which the DemPower app was structured, home and neighborhood received the highest number of visits. Couples used activity sections more often than the core subject pages. The perception of DemPower's utility varied with each couple's lived experience of dementia, geographic location, relationship dynamics, and opportunities for social interaction. A 5.2-point increase in the dementia quality of life score for people with dementia and a marginal increase in the Mutuality scale (+1.23 points) for caregiver spouses were found. Design and navigational challenges were reported in the DemPower app. Conclusions: The findings suggest that the DemPower app is a useful resource for couples where one partner has dementia and that the implementation of the app requires the support of memory clinics to reach couples at early diagnosis. 

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
JMIR Publications , 2021. Vol. 4, no 4, article id e16824
Keywords [en]
Dementia app, Dementia guide, Dementia intervention, Dementia resource, Dementia self-help, Feasibility study, Nonrandomized study, Self-management for couples with dementia
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Nursing
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URN: urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-55262DOI: 10.2196/16824ISI: 000798387500003PubMedID: 34783666Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85120181225Local ID: GOA;intsam;781513OAI: oai:DiVA.org:hj-55262DiVA, id: diva2:1617120
Available from: 2021-12-06 Created: 2021-12-06 Last updated: 2023-01-09Bibliographically approved

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Bielsten, Therese

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