Web-Based STAR E-Learning Course Increases Empathy and Understanding in Dementia Caregivers: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom

BackgroundThe doubling of the number of people with dementia in the coming decades coupled with the rapid decline in the working population in our graying society is expected to result in a large decrease in the number of professionals available to provide care to people with dementia. As a result, care will be supplied increasingly by untrained informal caregivers and volunteers. To promote effective care and avoid overburdening of untrained and trained caregivers, they must become properly skilled. To this end, the European Skills Training and Reskilling (STAR) project, which comprised experts from the domains of education, technology, and dementia care from 6 countries (the Netherlands, Sweden, Italy, Malta, Romania, and the United Kingdom), worked together to create and evaluate a multilingual e-learning tool. The STAR training portal provides dementia care training both for informal and formal caregivers.ObjectiveThe objective of the current study was to evaluate the user friendliness, usefulness, and impact of STAR with informal caregivers, volunteers, and professional caregivers.MethodsFor 2 to 4 months, the experimental group had access to the STAR training portal, a Web-based portal consisting of 8 modules, 2 of which had a basic level and 6 additional modules at intermediate and advanced levels. The experimental group also had access to online peer and expert communities for support and information exchange. The control group received free access to STAR after the research had ended. The STAR training portal was evaluated in a randomized controlled trial among informal caregivers and volunteers in addition to professional caregivers (N=142) in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Assessments were performed with self-assessed, online, standardized questionnaires at baseline and after 2 to 4 months. Primary outcome measures were user friendliness, usefulness, and impact of STAR on knowledge, attitudes, and approaches of caregivers regarding dementia. Secondary outcome measures were empathy, quality of life, burden, and caregivers’ sense of competence.ResultsSTAR was rated positively by all user groups on both usefulness and user friendliness. Significant effects were found on a person-centered care approach and on the total score on positive attitudes to dementia; both the experimental and the control group increased in score. Regarding empathy, significant improvements were found in the STAR training group on distress, empathic concern, and taking the perspective of the person with dementia. In the experimental group, however, there was a significant reduction in self-reported sense of competence.ConclusionsThe STAR training portal is a useful and user-friendly e-learning method, which has demonstrated its ability to provide significant positive effects on caregiver attitudes and empathy.     

Fulminant onset of acute leukemia from normal hematopoiesis within 3 months of follow up for multiple myeloma treated with total therapy protocols

Assiduous surveillance for genetic aberrations is necessary in patients on cytotoxic therapies to detect therapy‐related myeloid neoplasms (t‐MN). Current modalities include metaphase cytogenetics and FISH. Since t‐MN may develop abruptly in cytogenetically normal patients, a discussion exploring additional methods such as SNP‐array and targeted‐deep‐sequencing to detect subchromosomal abnormalities is needed.     

Informal Home Care for Elderly in Belgium: A Study on the Features and Challenges of Informal Care at Local Level

In Belgium, and in other OECD countries, there is a growing awareness about the importance of informal home care for the elderly’s well-being. Informal care is considered as an intrinsically valuable social phenomenon. Public authorities in Belgium have been advocating an active policy of support for informal carers. In 2007, an extensive survey was carried out in the Belgian municipality of Kruibeke in order to establish a better picture of the various needs of the elderly in their home situation, but also to better understand the way in which informal care is provided and perceived by care receivers and care givers. The study points to the need for support for the difficult burden of informal care and highlights the need for a coordinated and integrated approach to elderly care.