Text Messages to Support Caregivers: Report of Implementation into a Health Care System (Preprint)
BACKGROUND While there are many interventions to support caregivers, text messaging has the capability to be an adjunct to clinical practice on a wide-spread basis. The Department of Veterans Affairs Annie text messaging system was developed to assist Veterans with self-care. OBJECTIVE This paper reports on the first system-wide implementation of a text messaging protocol for caregivers in a national health care system with an Annie stress management protocol for caregivers of Veterans. METHODS After pilot testing, in late 2019, a year-long protocol for caregivers with three messages a week focusing on education, motivation/inspiration, and activities to alleviate stress was begun. An online evaluation occurs at six months. RESULTS As of September 2021, 3807 caregivers had participated in the stress protocol. Caregivers report that the messages have been useful in increasing their confidence, managing their stress, and helping them take care of themselves and their loved one. This success has led to bereavement, taking care of you, COVID-19 precautions and symptoms, and dementia behaviors protocols, with a total of 5643 caregivers enrolled as of September 2021. CONCLUSIONS Caregivers frequently feel overlooked by the health care system but caregivers report that the messages make them feel cared for and less lonely. Text messaging, incorporated into clinical settings and health care systems, represents a seamless, low-cost way to provide useful and meaningful support to caregivers.