A Mobile Self-Assessment and Referral Platform for Family Caregivers of Individuals With Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Family caregiving for individuals with Alzheimer disease and related dementias (ADRD) is characterized by increasing complexity, intensity, and demand across the disease trajectory. Formal home- and community-based services can provide knowledge, skills, and resources to enhance preparedness and self-efficacy, which may protect against adverse caregiving outcomes; however, awareness and uptake of these services remain low. As caregivers increasingly turn to the internet for information and support in their role, technology offers an opportunity to create a more seamless pipeline between assessment and service referral to match family caregivers with targeted services that meet their specific needs. Objective: The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of CarePair-a mobile self-assessment and service referral platform-among ADRD family caregivers. Secondary objectives are to assess the preliminary efficacy of CarePair in reducing stress, depressive symptoms, and anxiety, and enhancing self-efficacy among caregivers randomized to the intervention versus an attention control condition. This study also aims to generate preliminary effect size estimates to inform sample size calculations for a future fully powered randomized controlled trial (RCT). Methods: This pilot RCT will evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of CarePair. Eighty ADRD family caregivers will be enrolled and randomized in a 1:1 ratio to the intervention (n=40) or an attention control condition (n=40). Recruitment will be facilitated by the project study site located in an urban metropolitan area of the United States, targeting participants who report residing in and/or being in close proximity to any of the following locations: New York City, Long Island, and Westchester County, New York; Seattle, Washington; and Los Angeles, California. Primary feasibility outcomes include recruitment, retention, and completion rates; website usability; and intervention satisfaction. Exploratory analyses will assess preliminary efficacy on stress, depressive and anxiety symptoms, and self-efficacy. Results: This trial was funded by the National Institute on Aging in September 2023 and received approval from the institutional review board of the University of Southern California on September 10, 2025. Recruitment began in September 2025 and is scheduled to conclude in May 2026, with data collection scheduled to end in August 2026. As of February 2026, 44 participants have been enrolled and 22 have completed the study. Conclusions: This pilot trial will offer foundational evidence regarding the feasibility and acceptability of the CarePair intervention. Study findings will determine if "go" criteria are met to warrant the advancement to a larger-scale efficacy trial. Participant insights will also be used to guide intervention refinements and digital platform optimization. By offering a low-burden, caregiver-centered mobile app, CarePair has the potential to facilitate and streamline the timely identification of needs and referral to relevant services for ADRD family caregivers.