“Better Sleep Means I’m Better Able to Provide Care”: Caregivers’ Perceived Impacts of an Internet-Delivered Insomnia Intervention

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Abstract
Introduction: Family caregivers frequently experience sleep challenges that impact their own health and ability to provide care for a care recipient (i.e., the person a caregiver supports). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) effectively treats insomnia, but there is limited evidence regarding caregivers’ perceived impacts of this intervention. The current study evaluated caregivers’ experiences using Sleep Healthy Using The Internet (SHUTi), an Internet-delivered CBT-I intervention. Method: The sample comprised caregivers with insomnia who supported care recipients requiring medium- or high-intensity care for any condition, including Alzheimer’s disease/dementia (21%), cancer (11%), or a mobility problem (11%). Participating caregivers who used SHUTi ( n = 82; age M = 53.20, 85% female, 59% lived with the care recipient) provided open-ended feedback about their experience. Responses were analyzed using a rapid content analysis approach. Results: Responses revealed that caregivers perceived benefits of SHUTi to their functioning and their understanding of sleep . Caregivers described how the intervention improved their overall daytime abilities, mood, and caregiving capacity. They also shared how the intervention helped them prioritize sleep and self-care, gave them insight into their sleep, and increased their knowledge of healthy sleep. Discussion: Caregivers reported wide-ranging benefits from CBT-I beyond improved sleep. Despite the untailored nature of this intervention, several caregivers described positive impacts on their caregiving capabilities and outlook, resulting from the program helping them to improve their sleep and self-care more broadly. These results suggest that framing caregiver-focused health interventions as important to both caregivers and care recipients may increase caregivers’ uptake of such resources.
Funding Information
  • National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (HSR210255)

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