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| ID | Type | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 360990 | Other Grant/Funding Number | Research Council of Finland | |
| 360824 | Other Grant/Funding Number | Research Council of Finland |
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| Name | Class |
|---|---|
| Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare | OTHER_GOV |
| Karolinska Institutet | OTHER |
| University of Eastern Finland | OTHER |
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The goal of this pilot trial is to learn whether a six-month physical activity program tailored for older family caregivers can be successfully delivered and whether participants are willing and able to take part in it. The study will also explore possible effects of the programme on physical activity, physical function, health, and well-being.
The main questions it aims to answer are:
Researchers will compare the physical activity program with a control group that receives health information and education about healthy ageing.
Participants will:
Family caregivers provide substantial support to older adults living at home. Many caregivers are themselves older adults and may experience challenges in maintaining their own health and well-being while providing care. Caregiving responsibilities may limit opportunities for physical activity due to time constraints, competing demands, and the need to remain available for the care recipient. Despite the potential benefits of physical activity for maintaining physical function, mental well-being, and overall health, relatively little is known about how to design and deliver physical activity interventions that are feasible and acceptable for older family caregivers.
The CAREFIT study is a randomized controlled pilot trial designed to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a physical activity intervention tailored for older family caregivers. The study will provide information on recruitment, retention, adherence, and participant acceptability to support the planning of a future larger-scale trial. The study will also explore potential effects of the intervention on physical activity, physical functioning, motivation, stress, well-being, caregiving experience, cognitive function, and other health-related outcomes.
Participants are randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to either an intervention group or a control group. The intervention group receives a six-month multi-component physical activity programme specifically designed for older family caregivers. The programme combines supervised group-based exercise sessions with remotely delivered sessions to increase accessibility and accommodate caregiving responsibilities. Exercise activities focus on strength, balance, functional exercise, and light-to-moderate intensity aerobic activity and are adapted to participants' functional abilities. Participants also receive individualized goal-setting and motivational support at the beginning of the programme. In addition, the intervention includes brief guided relaxation exercises and education on themes related to healthy ageing, recovery, musculoskeletal health, and well-being.
The control group receives health education, including general information on healthy lifestyle behaviors and educational material related to healthy ageing and brain health, but does not participate in the structured physical activity programme during the intervention period.
Outcome assessments are conducted at baseline, after the six-month intervention period, and at a twelve-month follow-up. Post-intervention and follow-up assessments are conducted by study personnel who are not involved in delivering the intervention. The primary purpose is to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of study procedures and intervention delivery, while generating preliminary data to inform the design and implementation of a future definitive randomized controlled trial.
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| Label | Type | Description | Intervention Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caregiver-tailored physical activity intervention | Experimental | Participants assigned to this arm will receive a six-month physical activity intervention designed for older family caregivers. The intervention includes weekly supervised group-based exercise sessions and weekly remotely delivered exercise sessions. The exercise program focuses on strength, balance, and light-to-moderate intensity aerobic activity and is adapted to participants' functional abilities. Participants will also receive individualized goal-setting and motivational support, as well as thematic content related to health, recovery, and well-being. |
|
| Health education control | Active Comparator | Participants in the control group receive general health advice during the baseline visit. This advice is delivered verbally by study staff and focuses on lifestyle factors relevant to healthy aging. In addition, control group participants are referred to a FINGER-ABC web-based education program, which provides evidence-based guidance on how to support brain health through lifestyle choices. |
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| Name | Type | Description | Arm Group Labels | Other Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physical activity intervention for older family caregivers | Behavioral | The intervention consists of a six-month physical activity program designed for older family caregivers. The program combines weekly supervised group-based exercise sessions and weekly remotely delivered exercise sessions. Exercise sessions include strength, balance, functional, and light-to-moderate intensity aerobic activities and are adapted to participants' functional abilities. Participants receive individualized goal-setting and motivational support at the beginning of the program. The intervention also includes brief guided relaxation exercises and thematic content related to healthy ageing, recovery, musculoskeletal health, physical activity, and well-being. The program is designed to support regular physical activity while accommodating caregiving responsibilities and potential barriers to participation. |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants successfully recruited | Ability to enroll the planned number of participants (n=50) within the recruitment period. | 3-month recruitment period |
| Retention rate | Proportion of participants completing the six-month trial, with a target retention rate of ≥70%. | From enrollment to the end of intervention at 6 months |
| Adherence | Attendance at scheduled intervention sessions (in-person and remote), with an indicative target of ≥40% participation. | From enrollment to the end of intervention at 6 months |
| Acceptability using the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability (TFA) | Theoretical Framework of Acceptability (TFA) (Sekhon et al., 2017). The questionnaire includes items representing the seven TFA constructs, each rated on a 1-5 Likert scale. | From enrollment to the end of intervention at 6 months |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Physical Activity | Change in self-reported physical activity assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Higher scores indicate higher levels of physical activity. | Baseline and 6 months |
| Change in Step Count Measured by Accelerometer |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Bodily Pain | Change in bodily pain subscale of the RAND-36 Health Survey. Pain intensity during the past 4 weeks, rated on a 6-point scale ranging from no pain to very severe pain. | Baseline, 6 months, and 12 months |
| Change in Caregiving Experience |
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
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| Name | Role | Phone | Extension | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jenni Kulmala, Professor | Contact | +358 50 4395422 | jenni.kulmala@tuni.fi | |
| Tiia Ngandu, MD, PhD | Contact | +358 29 524 7716 | tiia.ngandu@thl.fi |
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| Facility | Status | City | State | ZIP | Country | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tampere University | Tampere | 33520 | Finland |
IPD may not be shared due to privacy considerations
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| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D009043 | Motor Activity |
| D015438 | Health Behavior |
| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D001519 | Behavior |
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This study uses a randomized, parallel-group design in which participants are allocated in a 1:1 ratio to either a caregiver-tailored physical activity intervention or a control group that receives health education, including general information on healthy lifestyle behaviors and educational material on healthy ageing and brain health. The intervention is delivered over six months and includes both supervised group-based sessions and remotely delivered sessions to enhance accessibility and accommodate caregiving responsibilities. Participants are not actively informed of group allocation beyond the practical requirements of participation. Outcome assessments at post-intervention and follow-up are conducted by study personnel who are not involved in delivering the intervention. The primary purpose of the study is to assess feasibility and acceptability, including recruitment, retention, and adherence, to inform the design of a future larger-scale trial.
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| Health education | Behavioral | General health advice provided at baseline and referral to a web-based educational programme |
|
Change in daily step count measured using the ActiGraph Link GT9X accelerometer worn continuously for seven consecutive days and nights |
| Baseline and 6 months |
| Change in Self-Determined Motivation for Physical Activity | Change in Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire (BREQ2), which consists of 19 items representing five types of motivational regulation. An overall measure of autonomous motivation for exercise is calculated for the Relative Autonomy Index (RAI). The index score ranges from -24 to 20, where higher values represent more autonomous motivation. | Baseline and 6 months |
| Change in Chronic Stress | Change in hair cortisol concentration (HCC) measured from hair samples. | Baseline and 6 months |
| Change in Stress-Related Symptoms | Change in Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14). Values ranging 0-56, with lower scores indicating a better outcome. | Baseline and 6 months |
| Change in Positive Mental Health | Change in Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale. Scores range from 14 to 70 and higher scores indicate greater positive mental wellbeing. | Baseline and 6 months |
| Change in Depressive Symptoms | Change in Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15). Values ranging 0-15, with lower scores indicating a better outcome. | Baseline and 6 months |
| Change in Physical functioning | Change in Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) total score, including balance, chair stand performance, and walking speed tests under single-task and dual-task conditions. Range 0-12, higher scores indicate better physical functioning. | Baseline and 6 months |
| Change in Hand Grip Strength | Change in maximum hand grip strength assessed using a hydraulic hand dynamometer. Higher values indicate greater muscle strength. | Baseline and 6 months |
| Change in Mobility | Change in time required to complete the Timed Up and Go test. Lower values indicate better mobility. | Baseline and 6 months |
| Change in Daily functioning | Change in Basic and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (I/ADL). Higher scores indicate greater independence. | Baseline and 6 months |
| Change in Balance Confidence | Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale (0-100%). Higher scores indicate greater confidence. | Baseline and 6 months |
| Falls | Self-reported incidence of falls | Baseline to 12 months |
Change in Carers of Older People in Europe Index (COPE). A 15-item questionnaire in which each item is scored on a 1-4 scale.
| Baseline, 6 months, and 12 months |
| Change in Sleep Duration | Change in self-reported hours of sleep per night. | Baseline, 6 months, and 12 months |
| Change in Blood Pressure | Systolic and diastolic blood pressure measured using standardized procedures | Baseline, 6 months, and 12 months |
| Change in Physical activity | Change in self-reported physical activity assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Higher scores indicate higher levels of physical activity. | 12 months |
| Change in Self-Determined Motivation for Physical Activity | Change in Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire (BREQ2), which consists of 19 items representing five types of motivational regulation. An overall measure of autonomous motivation for exercise is calculated for the Relative Autonomy Index (RAI). The index score ranges from -24 to 20, where higher values represent more autonomous motivation. | 12 months |
| Change in Stress-Related Symptoms | Change in Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14). Values ranging 0-40, with lower scores indicating a better outcome. | 12 months |
| Change in Positive Mental Health | Change in Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale. Scores range from 14 to 70 and higher scores indicate greater positive mental wellbeing. | 12 months |
| Change in Depressive Symptoms | Change in Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15). Values ranging 0-15, with lower scores indicating a better outcome. | 12 months |
| Change in Physical functioning | Change in Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) total score, including balance, chair stand performance, and walking speed tests under single-task and dual-task conditions. Range 0-12, higher scores indicate better physical functioning. | 12 months |
| Change in Hand Grip Strength | Change in maximum hand grip strength assessed using a hydraulic hand dynamometer. Higher values indicate greater muscle strength. | 12 months |
| Change in Timed Up and Go (TUG) test under single-task and dual-task conditions. | Change in time required to complete the Timed Up and Go test. Lower values indicate better mobility. | 12 months |
| Change in Daily functioning | Change in Basic and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (I/ADL). Higher scores indicate greater independence. | 12 months |
| Change in Balance confidence | Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale (0-100%). Higher scores indicate greater confidence. | 12 months |
| Change in Cognitive performance | Change in Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) total score (range 0-30). Higher scores indicate better cognitive function. | Baseline, 6 months, and 12 months |