Feasibility of Using Telehealth to Deliver the "Powerful Tools for Caregivers" Program

Katrina M Serwe, Gayle I Hersch, Karen Pancheri, Katrina M Serwe, Gayle I Hersch, Karen Pancheri

Abstract

Caregivers report poorer health and wellness than the general population and identify numerous barriers to their attending programs to improve health and wellness. The purpose of this study was to explore the feasibility of employing a telehealth delivery method to enhance access to caregiver wellness programs. This article presents the quantitative results of a mixed methods feasibility study of translating the Powerful Tools for Caregivers (PTC) program to a telehealth delivery format. Four unpaid family caregivers of older adults participated in a telehealth delivered PTC program, a wellness program with established outcomes in the in-person environment. The program was delivered using synchronous videoconferencing methods. High class attendance and a high median total average Telehealth Usability Questionnaire score of 5.7 indicated the telehealth delivery method was feasible. This research suggests that telehealth is a feasible delivery format for a caregiver program traditionally delivered in an in-person format.

Keywords: Caregivers; Feasibility studies; Health promotion; Telehealth; Telemedicine; Usability; Wellness.

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Source: PubMed

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