Self-management EdUcation and SuPport to Promote PsychOsocial Health Among StRoke Survivors and Informal Caregivers in a VirTual Stroke Community (SUPPORT)

Self-management EdUcation and SuPport to Promote PsychOsocial Health Among StRoke Survivors and Informal Caregivers in a VirTual Stroke Community (SUPPORT): A Pilot Project

The purpose of this study is to create a virtual stroke community for stroke survivors and informal caregivers of stroke survivors by customizing an existing VE intervention to incorporate real-time, stroke-specific, psychosocial self management education (SME) and social interactions, to test feasibility, acceptability, and usability of the customized intervention for stroke survivors and informal caregivers of stroke survivors and to obtain and explore data to derive evidence-based hypotheses and properly design and conduct a future, larger trial to demonstrate treatment efficacy.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Stroke survivors that have experienced an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke event and their caregivers
• can read, write, and speak English
• are able to provide written consent
• are computer literate (have used a computer for ≥1 month)
• have access to a computer with broadband internet at home
• understand how to use the Internet (accessed the Internet on ≥2 occasions)

Exclusion Criteria:

• reside outside of the home
• Montreal Cognitive Assessment score of <9 indicating moderate to severe impairment
• Caregivers that provide long-distance care. I