Tablet-based support for older adults with severe mood disorders treated in an ambulatory geriatric psychiatry setting: Protocol of a feasibility study of the eCare@Home platform

INTRODUCTION: Although older adults are just as likely to benefit from e-mental health as their younger counterparts, there are virtually no applications specifically designed to accommodate the needs of older adults with recurrent depression or bipolar disorder. Recurrent mood disorders constitute a large and rising proportion of the global disease in older populations, indicating a need for more e-mental health applications targeting this group. This paper describes the theoretical background and methodology of a study examining the feasibility of a tablet-based self-management platform for older adults with recurrent mood disorders. The eCare@Home platform was designed to 1) improve patients' awareness and knowledge of recurrent mood disorders and their treatment, 2) promote self-management through the use of a simple daily monitoring tool, and 3) facilitate online contact with their clinician through videoconferencing. METHODS: The design involves a single-group four-month pilot study, with measurements at baseline (T0), and at weeks 8 and 16 (T1 and T2). The target group consists of older outpatients (aged 60 or above) who are undergoing treatment for recurrent depressive or bipolar disorder (N = 50), and their clinicians (N = 10). Primary feasibility endpoints will be system acceptability, system usability, and client satisfaction with the platform. In addition, qualitative data from semi-structured interviews in N = 10 patients and N = 5 clinicians will be gathered to provide more insight into user experiences and evaluations of the platform's added value. DISCUSSION: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a tablet-based e-mental health platform for older adults with severe mood disorders. If tablet-based support for this group is shown to be feasible, the intention is to proceed with the design of a large-scale process and outcome evaluation. The strengths and limitations of the methodology used are addressed in this article. Trial Registration: registration is pending.