Individualized Coordination and Empowerment for Care Partners of Persons with Dementia (ICECaP): Study rationale and protocol

The majority of care for >10 million older adults with dementia (PWD) in the United States depends on at least on 11 million unpaid care partners (CPs). CPs are at greater risk of adverse physical, psychological, and cognitive health outcomes relative to non-caregiving peers. The goal of this paper is to establish the rationale, design, and protocol for a pilot randomized control trial to test the efficacy of the CP-focused intervention, ICECaP: Individualized Coordination and Empowerment for Care Partners of Persons with Dementia. ICECaP involves the assignment of a trained dementia care coordinator to a CP. The care coordinator maintains at least monthly contact with the CP with hybrid delivery (in-person, phone, e-mail, and video calls) and provides individualized support with care coordination for the CP navigating the PWD's care in a complex healthcare system, as well as supportive counseling, psychoeducation, and skills training for the CP. This trial will compare outcomes from baseline to 12-months among CPs who receive ICECaP versus routine care (controls). Outcomes include CP depression, burden, anxiety, and quality of life; CPs' reactions to the behavioral symptoms of dementia; and use of support services for the PWD. This trial will also assess mechanisms of intervention efficacy including changes in CP dementia knowledge, caregiving preparedness, self-efficacy, and optimism. Publication of this intervention protocol will benefit other dementia care teams seeking to support CPs and PWDs.