Clinician-Caregiver Engagement in Older Adult Care. Development of a Validated Caregiver Experience Survey to Inform the Optimization of the Caregiver Role.

Abstract

Background: Clinicians caring for older adults often lack information on how best to engage with caregivers to optimize patient health and care experiences. The objective of this study was to build a valid survey to better understand clinician-caregiver engagement. Method: Study methods were co-designed with caregivers of older adults and geriatric medicine experts from across Ontario, Canada. Recognized survey research methods were utilized (literature review, survey framework development, draft survey items, cognitive interviews (n = 8), pilot testing (n = 120), and psychometric analysis). Results: The final version of the online "Caregiver Experience Survey" includes 11 core items, 1 overall item, 2 qualitative questions, and 2 demographic questions. Very high internal consistency was demonstrated among the 11 core items (Cronbach's alpha: 0.94). The correlation between the overall rating and the summed 11-core item score was 0.74, providing evidence of construct validity. Face and content validity were also demonstrated. Conclusion: This psychometrically sound online survey, which measures the degree to which caregivers experience meaningful engagement with clinicians to fulfill their caregiver role, can be used by clinicians to identify quality improvement initiatives.