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Don’t forget to take Some time to yourself: the effect of mobile phone reminders on self-care subdomains of informal caregivers
Publication . Peres, Beatriz; Noronha, Hildegardo; Campos, Pedro
The lives of informal caregivers can get so busy and overwhelmed
that they stop caring for themselves. A simple daily mobile phone
reminder may be enough to restore some of their self-care. In this
study, we explore the effects of reminders in the lives of informal
caregivers, specifically in the Mindful Self-Care Scale subdomains.
We found positive effects in the Supportive Relationships and the
Mindful Relaxation subdomains with medium effects. Despite not
being statistically significant, the Mindful Awareness and the Self Compassion and Purpose subdomains have low enough p-values
for us to argue that they may create positive effects if coupled
with extra call-to-action features. This should be explored in future
studies. The Supportive Structure subdomain seems to have no
relation or be affected in any relevant way by the reminders.
Virtual environments for improving the emotional states of informal caregivers: the role of digital nature and virtual companions
Publication . Peres, Beatriz Rodrigues Jardim Rino; Lopes, Daniel Simões; Jorge, Joaquim Armando Pires
By 2050, the global senior population is expected to double to 2.1 billion, including 426
million aged over 80, significantly increasing the number of informal caregivers. Caring
for family members with Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias presents emotional and
physical challenges, worsened by the need to balance caregiving with full-time jobs
and limited time for self-care. Interaction with nature is a type of self-care activity that
improves emotional states, but caregivers often struggle to access these environments
due to time. With this, this thesis explores interventions to enhance the emotional state
of informal caregivers, focusing on digital and virtual natural environments and types of
companionship. This research begins by examining how reminders improve self-care
practices and then how digital and virtual natural environments affect caregivers’ emo tional states. We also explore the benefits of virtual companionship on their emotional
state. Findings show that digital and virtual natural environments significantly boost
caregivers’ emotional state, especially when they can choose their settings. Virtual
companionship, such as interacting with a virtual dog, reduces tension, boosts energy,
fosters feelings of safety, and alleviates loneliness. These results highlight the poten tial of virtual companionship and virtual natural environments to improve the emotional
state of informal caregivers of family members with Alzheimer’s and Related Demen tias.
Co-designing companions in virtual natural environments for enhanced well-being: insights from dementia informal caregivers
Publication . Peres, Beatriz; Lopes, Daniel S; Jorge, Joaquim; Campos, Pedro F.; Rodrigues Jardim Rino Peres, Beatriz; Pereira Campos, Pedro Filipe; Campos, Pedro
Informal caregivers of family members with Alzheimer’s Disease
and Related Dementias (ADRD) perform an often difficult and emo
tionally demanding task. The combination of Virtual Natural Envi
ronments (VNEs) and some form of social interaction could help
meet some caregiver needs but remains unexplored. In this study,
we investigate how ADRD informal caregivers envision compan
ionship in the context of VR nature. Through co-design sessions
with 15 ADRD informal caregivers, the thematic analysis identified
four main themes: companionship needs, physical presence, vir
tual presence, and characteristics and behaviors. Diverse types of
companions were suggested, with a preference for empathetic, cred
ible, and authentic companionship. Design opportunities include
integrating physical and virtual companionship within VNEs. This
research highlights the importance of designing companions that
help caregivers feel understood. Considering informal caregivers’
perspectives is integral to developing interventions that effectively
address their emotional and social well-being.
"Pick a nature sound now to feel better": the effects of listening to a chosen natural sound on informal caregivers' well-being
Publication . Peres, Beatriz; Campos, Pedro; Pereira Campos, Pedro Filipe; Campos, Pedro
Caring for a loved one can be challenging and stressful, making it
crucial for caregivers to prioritize their own well-being. Listening to
nature sounds may provide caregivers with a much-needed respite
from their responsibilities. Research indicates that personal prefer
ences significantly influence well-being, as granting autonomy in
task selection can positively impacthealth. Inthispreliminarystudy,
weexplored the effects of selecting nature sounds on mobile phones
for the well-being of informal caregivers. Specifically, we compared
the effects of chosen sounds versus random sounds. We recruited
twenty-eight informal caregivers, primarily women, and used the
SAM and PANAS scales to assess well-being at baseline, during
random sound exposure, and while listening to chosen sounds. Our
findings suggest that nature sounds accessed via mobile phones can
enhance the well-being of informal caregivers in at least three key
areas: Valence, Positive Affect, and Negative Affect. Notably, the im
provements in valence and positive affect were more pronounced
when caregivers selected their own nature sounds compared to
when they listened to random sounds.
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Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
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OE
Número da atribuição
2020.08848.BD