Testing Tele-Savvy, an On-line Psychoeducation Program for Dementia Family Caregivers

The purpose of this study is to test the psychoeducational program "Tele-Savvy." Tele-Savvy
is an internet based, group education program developed from an in person program called
Savvy Caregiver. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the Tele-Savvy group
(receiving only the Tele-Savvy education) or the Healthy Living Education Program (receiving
healthy lifestyle education and then Tele-Savvy education 6 months later). Each program takes
43 days to complete. In those 43 days, participants will be asked to take part in a video
conference once per week (60-90 minutes) and view daily video lessons (7-15 minutes). They
will participate in 5 interviews over the course of the 12 month study. These interviews will
discuss participant's experience as a caregiver. All interviews will be limited to 60
minutes.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Informal caregivers (family/friends) of persons living with Alzheimer's disease or
another dementia

- Participants must be providing at least 4 hours per day unpaid assistance, on average,
for a person in the early-middle stage of illness (Clinical Dementia Rating of greater
than or equal to 1 by home ADC) who is community-dwelling and for whom there is no
established plan for institutionalization in the next six months

- Caregiver may or may not reside with their care recipient, but care recipients must
live in the community and not in an assisted living facility, nursing home, or another
institutional setting

- Must have access to a computer or a mobile device with adequate internet connection,
microphone, and speakers (to be able to participate in teleconferences) and be able to
use email

- Able to read, speak and understand English

Exclusion Criteria:

- The participant must not be involved in another caregiver training study and must not
have participated in in-person Savvy Caregiver Program or Tele-Savvy previously

- Uncorrectable vision or hearing deficits that might impede participation