Table 1 Content of the self-administered on-line transition toolkit
Section | Content |
|---|---|
Introduction | The home page is available publicly on the web. (All other pages require logging in.) It contains: • Introduction to the toolkit • Log in box (email/password) • Registration form to create new account (also asks for demographic info) • Password retrieval process • Link to privacy policy, terms of use, etc. • Tutorials and help files |
Section 1: About Me | Contains guided activities to help carers to think about and understand transitions. Activities include understanding their inner strengths, what gives them hope, their backup plan in case they are no longer able to provide care, and more. For each activity, users can add formatted text, photos, and attachments such as PDFs. |
Section 2: Common Changes to Expect | Contains information about the types of transitions to expect in all areas of their lives, along with quotes from other carers about their experiences (quotes obtained from a previous research study). This section is read-only. |
Section 3: Frequently Asked Questions | Contains questions suggested by carers who participated in a past research study, and answers provided by experts and practitioners in the field. This section is read-only. |
Section 4: Resources | Contains: • Contact information for provincial and national organizations • Space to add additional contacts • Information on where to obtain other relevant books, brochures, and resources • Links to websites containing relevant, evidence-based information, plus a short paragraph explaining the purpose of each website • PDFs of key brochures and a link to streaming video of “Living with Hope” |
Section 5: Important Health Information | Contains sections for entering health information about the person with dementia: • General health information, including allergies and medical history • Names and contact information for doctor, pharmacist, and other healthcare providers • Prescriptions and over-the-counter medications, including dosage, schedule, and reason for each one • Chart for tracking patient’s behaviour over time • Allows users to upload relevant files as PDFs. All information that the caregiver adds to the website is password-protected and will be kept confidential. Only the study administrator will be able to see the information, in the event that the caregiver needs technical assistance with the website. |
Additional Features | • Intuitive and easy to use • Ability to change font size for the whole site (user’s preference is saved for future visits) • Ability to print any page or send information to others by email • Mobile site also available so users can log in and see their information. Mobile site is read-only. • Mobile site is cross-platform (will work on any smart phone). |