Objectives: This study aimed at revealing the caregiving challenges of the caregivers of people with dementia (PwD) during the COVID‐19 pandemic when daycare service was stopped as an infection control measure, and discussed ways to help PwD and their family caregivers to maintain their well‐being in the era of the pandemic.Methods: Between April and May 2020, a cross‐sectional survey was conducted in 152 family caregivers of PwD who were clients of daycare service prior to the pandemic. The survey examined caregivers' stress and challenges faced during daycare service cessation, their perceived needs for continuation of daycare service, and observed changes in functional status of PwD. Regression analyses were performed to explore the associated factors of caregiving stress and preference for continuation of daycare service.Results: Family caregivers of PwD experienced greater caregiving stress after cessation of daycare service. Infection was their main challenge in caregiving, and their physical and emotional health was adversely affected by the longer time commitment with PwD under the stay‐home policy. Older age of caregivers, greater emotional and communication problems of PwD, and more time spent with PwD were associated with greater caregiving stress. More than one‐third of the participants preferred the continuation of daycare service during the pandemic.Conclusions: Policy makers should consider the well‐being of PwD and their caregivers when planning infection control measures. Daycare service with enhanced infection controlled measures should remain available to PwD during the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Little is known about the psychosocial pathways linking social support to health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in family caregivers of people with dementia (PwD). This study aimed to explore how self-efficacy and caregiver distress mediate the relationship between social support and caregivers' HRQoL. This study utilized baseline data from a randomized controlled trial involving 266 Chinese dementia caregivers recruited from China and Australia. Four self-report scales were used: the Chinese version of the Carers of Older People in Europe Index-Quality of Social Support, the Revised Scale for Caregiving Self-efficacy, the Revised Memory and Behavior Problem Checklist and the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey. Structural equation modeling was conducted using AMOS 26.0 to examine the mediating roles of self-efficacy and caregiver distress in mediating the relationship between social support and HRQoL. Social support was significantly associated with HRQoL. It also indirectly predicted physical HRQoL through caregiving self-efficacy (β = 0.062) and caregiver distress (β = 0.070), accounting for 38.88 % of the total effect. Besides, social support indirectly predicted mental HRQoL through self-efficacy (β = 0.182) and caregiver distress (β = 0.041), contributing to 58.1 % of the total effect. Self-efficacy and caregiver distress functioned as sequential mediators in this association. Social support was positively associated with HRQoL, both directly and indirectly, through the serial mediating role of self-efficacy and caregiver distress among family caregivers of PwD. Our findings highlight the importance of providing psychosocial interventions to improve HRQoLfor dementia caregivers.

Background: The carers of people with dementia (PWD) often face physical, emotional, and financial challenges; their well‐being is influenced by various carer‐related and care recipient‐related factors within the stress and process framework. This study aimed to examine the factors associated with the quality of life and caregiving well‐being of dementia carers to better inform the design of supportive interventions and enhance carer support. Method: This study adopted a longitudinal cohort design. The outcome measures were carers’ physical‐ and mental‐related quality of life, and caregiving self‐efficacy. The data were obtained from the effectiveness study of iSupport for Dementia, an online psychoeducation programme developed by The World Health Organization, conducted in Hong Kong and Macau, and were analysed using Generalized Estimating Equation. This study was funded by the National Foundation for Australia‐China Relations, Australian Government. Result: Data from 63 carers of PWD were analysed. The results showed that, after adjusting for covariates, carers’ health‐related quality of life was positively associated with carers’ education level (Adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=4.03, 95% CI=0.05 – 8.00, p = 0.047) and support from other family members (AOR=5.20, 95% CI=0.75 – 9.64, p = 0.022), but negatively associated with carers’ own medical condition (AOR=‐2.70, 95% CI=‐4.88 – ‐0.52, p = 0.015) and caregiving‐related financial burden (AOR=‐4.57, 95% CI=‐8.29 – ‐0.86, p = 0.016). Higher caregiving time (AOR=‐0.14, 95% CI=‐0.26 – ‐0.02, p = 0.024) and caregiving‐related financial burden (AOR=‐7.35, 95% CI=‐12.80 – ‐1.91, p = 0.008) were linked to worse caregiving self‐efficacy, while older carer age (AOR=0.32, 95% CI=0.09 – 0.55, p = 0.006) and family support (AOR=12.98, 95% CI=1.71 – 24.26, p = 0.024) were associated with better caregiving self‐efficacy. Conclusion: Family support plays a crucial role in enhancing health‐related quality of life and caregiving self‐efficacy, while financial burden negatively impacts carers’ well‐being. iSupport for Dementia emphasises sharing caregiving responsibilities and exploring available support through self‐reflection exercises and practical scenarios. It also includes region‐specific resources during adaptation to help carers access affordable dementia care. Future psychoeducation interventions for carers should consider these factors to address their challenges effectively and provide comprehensive support to enhance their overall well‐being.

Background: Dementia increases the risk of individuals getting lost due to cognitive decline, impacting daily functioning and heightening caregiver worry. Traditional search methods are often time-consuming and stressful, whereas GPS-based technologies face limitations such as battery dependency. A crowdsourcing Internet of Things (IoT) technology using energy-efficient Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) offers a potential solution to locate missing individuals with dementia more effectively by harnessing the power of the crowd and fostering a caring and inclusive community. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a BLE-based privacy-preserving crowdsourcing IoT system consisting of a BLE tag and an Android and iOS app in improving lost-related behavior and psychological well-being by facilitating searches, after-care arrangements, and reducing caregiver worry, as well as to assess its usability among caregivers of individuals with dementia in Hong Kong. Methods: A single-arm, prospective observational study was conducted from November 2020 to October 2023. Caregivers (N=1034) of individuals with dementia used a staff-assisted crowdsourcing IoT technology comprising a BLE tag, mobile app sensor, and location cloud server. Outcomes included search strategies, post–getting lost care arrangements, caregiver worry and distress (10-point scale), and usability (modified Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology 2.0 survey). Data were collected at 6- and 12-month follow-ups and analyzed using generalized estimating equations and linear mixed models. Results: Of the 1034 participants, 143 (13.82%) reported lost episodes, with 51 (35.7%) using BLE tags for searches. Worry about future lost episodes decreased significantly over time ( P =.008), especially among BLE tag users ( P =.04). There was an association between BLE tag use and adoption of proactive search strategies (eg, going out to search: adjusted odds ratio 2.78, 95% CI 1.33-5.82; P =.007) and preventative measures (eg, IoT devices or CCTV: adjusted odds ratio 2.92, 95% CI 1.61-5.29; P <.001). Usability satisfaction was high for design and data security, whereas approximately half of the participants (309/707, 43.7%) were satisfied with accuracy. Conclusions: The BLE crowdsourcing system may reduce caregiver worry and encourage proactive search behaviors, although accuracy depends on broader community adoption. Integration into dementia care plans could enhance safety and autonomy. Further research with a randomized controlled trial design is needed to confirm these findings.

Researchers from the Jockey Club Centre for Positive Ageing analyse the services available for people with younger onset dementia