Learning to PERSEVERE: A pilot study of peer mentor support and caregiver education in Lewy body dementia

Authors

Jori E. Fleisher, Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA. Electronic address: Jori_Fleisher@rush.edu.
Madhuvanthi Suresh, Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
Melissa E. Levin, Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Medical School - Rosalind Franklin University, North Chicago, IL, USA.
Serena P. Hess, Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
Faizan Akram, Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
Danielle Dodson, Advocate Aurora HealthFollow
Michelle Tosin, Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
Glenn T. Stebbins, Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
Katheryn Woo, Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
Bichun Ouyang, Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
Joshua Chodosh, Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Medicine Service, VA New York Harbor Healthcare System, New York, NY, USA.Follow

Recommended Citation

Fleisher JE, Suresh M, Levin ME, et al. Learning to PERSEVERE: A pilot study of peer mentor support and caregiver education in Lewy body dementia. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2023;113:105492. doi:10.1016/j.parkreldis.2023.105492

Affiliations

Advocate Memory Center, Park Ridge, IL

Abstract

Background:Lewy Body Disease (LBD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder. Despite high family caregiver strain and adverse patient and caregiver outcomes, few interventions exist for LBD family caregivers. Based on a successful peer mentoring pilot study in advanced Parkinson's Disease, we revised the curriculum of this peer-led educational intervention incorporating LBD caregiver input.

Objective:We assessed feasibility of a peer mentor-led educational intervention and its impact on LBD family caregivers' knowledge, dementia attitudes, and mastery.

Methods:Using community-based participatory research, we refined a 16-week peer mentoring intervention and recruited caregivers online through national foundations. Experienced LBD caregiver mentors were trained and matched with newer caregiver mentees with whom they spoke weekly for 16 weeks, supported by the intervention curriculum. We measured intervention fidelity biweekly, program satisfaction, and change in LBD knowledge, dementia attitudes, and caregiving mastery before and after the 16-week intervention.

Results:Thirty mentor-mentee pairs completed a median of 15 calls (range: 8-19; 424 total calls; median 45 min each). As satisfaction indicators, participants rated 95.3% of calls as useful, and at week 16, all participants indicated they would recommend the intervention to other caregivers. Mentees' knowledge and dementia attitudes improved by 13% (p < 0.05) and 7% (p < 0.001), respectively. Training improved mentors' LBD knowledge by 32% (p < 0.0001) and dementia attitudes by 2.5% (p < 0.001). Neither mentor nor mentee mastery changed significantly (p = 0.36, respectively).

Conclusions:This LBD caregiver-designed and -led intervention was feasible, well-received, and effective in improving knowledge and dementia attitudes in both seasoned and newer caregivers.

Trial registration:https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04649164ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04649164 ; December 2, 2020.

Document Type

Article

PubMed ID

37385161