The effect of educating caregivers of the elderly with Cognitive disorders using mobile phones on the burden of caring for patients

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effect of educating caregivers of the elderly with Cognitive disorders using a mobile application on the care burden of caring for patients

Method: The study was two-group experimental study before and after which 60 caregivers of Alzheimer's patients were selected through available sampling and randomly divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group received both routine training and received training through the mobile application, but the control group received only routine training. The research tool was the Zarit questionnaire which has 22 questions .

Results: The results showed that the score of the caregivers' burden after the intervention was significantly different from before the intervention (P <0.001). Also, the comparison of the mean score of caring stress after the intervention was significantly different according to the group and education, according to the group and gender, as well as according to the group and the Caregivers' family relationship. (p = 0.037), (p = 0.16), (p = 0.046). However, there was no significant difference between the mean score of care load pressure after the intervention of group and patients' movement problems (P = 0.174).

Conclusion: education through mobile applications can play an effective in reducing the care burden. Also, the burden of care varies according to the level of education, gender, and Caregivers' family relationship. Therefore, based on these results, the use of educational methods through mobile applications, which is a low-cost method in health care settings for patients and their families is recommended.