Lessons learned from conducting Alzheimer’s disease caregiver mHealth app training and focus group sessions

Abstract

This paper describes the challenges and lessons learned from conducting mobile health application (mHealth app) training and focus group sessions for Alzheimer’s disease caregivers. We review the process behind planning, recruitment, and conducting the training and focus group sessions. Insights presented were gained from preparation for the study, participant discussion, participant user experience with the mHealth apps, and the authors’ observations during both sessions. We found that proper preparation for conducting training and focus group sessions goes far beyond literature reviews and pilot testing. Establishing relationships and preliminary volunteerism with potential support group programs can enrich the experience of the researchers and participants involved in the investigation. The impartation of knowledge is reciprocal, but in this case, mutual trust and respect for the adult learning process were the deciding factors behind the authors’ success.