- Title
- Acceptability of a telehealth intervention for dementia carers in regional and rural Australia
- Creator
- Walter, Alison
- Relation
- University of Newcastle Research Higher Degree Thesis
- Resource Type
- thesis
- Date
- 2021
- Description
- Masters Coursework - Master of Clinical Psychology (MClinPsych)
- Description
- Objectives: The objective of this study was to test the feasibility and acceptability to therapists and carers of a program - Strategies for Relatives (START) - to support carers of people living with dementia in regional and rural Australia. Additionally, we aimed to examine the feasibility and acceptability to therapists and carers of the telehealth modality. Methods: Eighteen carers were allocated to one of 15 therapists to complete the START eight-module manualised program or cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT). Therapists and carers completed purpose developed pre-intervention, post-session and post-intervention questionnaires to determine the acceptability of the START program and delivery of START via telehealth. Results: Of the 15 therapists recruited, post-session data was provided by 9 START and 5 CBT therapists. Post-intervention data was provided by 7 START and 2 CBT therapists. Therapists rated their confidence delivering the START program and the relevance of the program to carers higher overall compared to therapists delivering CBT. Therapists rated delivery via telehealth as acceptable, however qualitative feedback indicated technical difficulties impacted delivery. Of the 18 carers allocated to a therapist, 8 completed the START program via telehealth, 7 of whom provided feedback and rated telehealth as a good way to access START. Conclusions: Delivery of the START program via telehealth is acceptable to therapists and carers however findings suggest technical capacity and infrastructure require consideration. Further research is needed to explore intervention effects on carer mental health and wellbeing in the telehealth context.
- Subject
- carer; rural carer; dementia; telehealth
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1440261
- Identifier
- uon:41110
- Rights
- Copyright 2021 Alison Walter
- Language
- eng
- Full Text
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| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
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| View Details Download | ATTACHMENT01 | Thesis | 1 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download | ||
| View Details Download | ATTACHMENT02 | Abstract | 99 KB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |