Evaluation of the Caregiver Support Model: Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

BACKGROUND Caregivers of frail older adults face substantial challenges, often managing their own health while providing care. The Caregiver Support Model (CSM) is a structured approach that uses systematic assessment, personalized intervention planning, and sustained support to address caregivers’ diverse and evolving needs and leverage their resources. OBJECTIVE This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of CSM. METHODS A cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted across eight centers for elderly services in Hong Kong, with 565 informal family caregivers allocated to intervention or control groups. The intervention group utilized the Caregiver Needs and Resources Assessment (CNRA) to assess the needs and resources of caregivers, followed by personalized intervention plans and necessary services over six months, while the control group received standard care. Data were collected at baseline, three months, and six months. RESULTS Results showed that the CSM significantly reduced caregiver needs, particularly in role conflict and care recipient needs, while enhancing caregiver resources such as self-efficacy, community resource utilization, and healthy lifestyle. Improvements were more pronounced at six months compared to three months, indicating a lasting effect and consolidation of gains. The intervention was especially effective for caregivers in other relations and those with higher education than spousal caregivers and those in later stages of caregiving. CONCLUSIONS These findings highlight the importance of tailored, long-term interventions that adapt to caregivers’ evolving needs through a systematic assessment. The CSM offers a promising approach to enhancing caregiver well-being and managing the complex demands of caregiving, particularly in an aging population. CLINICALTRIAL This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (identifier: NCT04272918, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04272918?locStr=Hong%20Kong&country=Hong%20Kong&term=caregiver&rank=4).