Roadmap App Shows Promise in Improving Mental Health for Dementia Caregivers
Preliminary findings indicate that the Roadmap app, a positive activity intervention, is associated with better mental health outcomes for dementia caregivers. A 14-day study involving 20 dementia caregivers revealed that on days they engaged in at least one Roadmap positive activity, caregivers reported lower depression, reduced appraisals of caregiving as stressful, and higher positive mood. The app demonstrated high feasibility, with caregivers engaging in positive activities on 87% of days and completing 95% of nightly surveys. While the overall acceptability of the app was 78.9%, some areas for improvement were identified, particularly regarding the clarity of instructions and ease of use. The study also noted that over the 14-day period, caregivers reported improvements in their own mood, caregiving appraisals, and mental health, as well as improvements in care recipients' mental health.
