The University of New Brunswick and the Loch Lomond Villa are teaming up to find out if an online platform called iWellness can help improve the lives of caregivers who are caring and living with someone who has been diagnosed with dementia.
Research Assistant Leanne Davis says they’re looking for caregivers from Saint John and Fredericton who would like to take part in the study. The research team is also able to travel to Moncton and St. Stephen for anyone interested in taking part in the program.
Davis says the time commitment for the entire study is roughly 2-3 hours. Participants will be given a Fitbit Flex, which they can keep after the study, to help track information like total steps and sleep patterns. The Fitbit Flex automatically uploads all of its information to the iWellness platform.
Participants will also be added to a Facebook group where they can post, share and discuss tips on how to best care for someone living with dementia.
The first meeting includes a brief and comprehensive introduction to the iWellness program and connecting it to the fitness tracker. The second meeting includes a questionnaire and asking participants their feedback on the online platform. The third and final meeting will take place in 12 weeks, which will include a final questionnaire and overall reaction to the platform.
The information will help researchers determine if the online platform will be of help to dementia caregivers and possibly even help caregivers for people with other illnesses.
For more information you can contact Leanne Davis: (506) 608-1030 leanne.davis@unb.ca
The Research Assistant looking after the Fredericton area is Alicia Donovan: (506) 643-1154 adonova4@unb.ca
