Online support to help family caregivers of people with dementia navigate health, legal, and social services
Caregiver as Navigator-Developing Skills Online (CAN-DO): Developing Dementia Family Caregiver Mastery for Navigating Complex Health, Social Service, Legal, Financial, and Family Systems
An online, self-paced program offers family caregivers of people with Alzheimer's or related dementias practical skills to manage care, access services, and reduce stress.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11123229 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you're a family caregiver for someone with Alzheimer's or a related dementia, this program offers a self-paced online course to build confidence managing medical, legal, financial, and social service tasks. The researchers are testing the CAN-DO online program using a controlled design that builds on a prior wait-list pilot with promising results. You would work through modules on healthcare navigation, care management activities, and strategies for handling family and system challenges, all on your own schedule. The study tracks caregiver mastery, emotional well-being, caregiver-reported quality of life, and behavioral symptoms of the person you care for.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Unpaid family or informal caregivers of adults with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias who have internet access and want online help navigating care systems.
Not a fit: Paid professional caregivers, people caring for someone without dementia, or caregivers without reliable internet access or comfort with online programs are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could help caregivers feel more capable and less stressed, which may improve care coordination and the quality of life for people living with dementia.
How similar studies have performed: A prior wait-list control pilot of the CAN-DO program found acceptability, feasibility, and early positive effects on caregiver outcomes.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Emory University — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Clevenger, Carolyn Kay — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Clevenger, Carolyn Kay
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.