Bilingual text-message support for Latino family caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s
Testing the effects of a text message caregiver support intervention for Latinos
This program offers daily bilingual text messages, on-demand keyword info, and live chat coaching to support Latino family caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s and related dementias.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Kansas Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Kansas City, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11199003 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would receive daily automated texts in English or Spanish covering dementia education, social support, self-care, care management, and handling behavior symptoms. You can text keywords anytime to get more information on those topics and use a live chat to speak with a coach for personalized help. The program lasts six months and was built using input from Latino caregivers to make messages culturally and linguistically relevant. A small initial pilot showed high usability, satisfaction, and signs of reduced caregiver distress.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Latino adults (21+) who are family caregivers of someone with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia and who have a mobile phone capable of receiving text messages.
Not a fit: People who are not caregivers for someone with dementia, non-Latino caregivers seeking other types of support, or caregivers without reliable phone access are unlikely to benefit from this text-based program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could make practical advice and emotional support easier to access and help reduce caregiver stress and improve coping.
How similar studies have performed: Text-message interventions have helped people in other health areas and a small CuidaTEXT pilot (n=24) showed high satisfaction and reduced distress, but using texts for ADRD caregiver support is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Kansas City, United States
- University of Kansas Medical Center — Kansas City, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Perales Puchalt, Jaime — University of Kansas Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Perales Puchalt, Jaime
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.