N/A
N=106
Partners at Meals - Respite Care and Home (PAM)
Dementia, Alzheimer Type · Weight Loss
Bottom Line
View on ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03622814 ↗Enrolled (actual)
106
Serious AEs
22.9%
Results posted
Apr 2025
Primary outcome: Primary: Monthly Weight in Pounds on a Scale for Person With Dementia — -2.1; -2.1 pounds
Study Design & Population
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- N/A
- Interventions
- Partners at Meals (Behavioral); Enhanced Usual Condition (Behavioral)
- Age
- Adult, Older Adult · 60+ yrs
- Sex
- All
- Sponsor
- Medical University of South Carolina
- Primary completion
- Jun 2023
Outcome Measures
| Outcome | Result | p-value |
|---|---|---|
| PRIMARY Monthly Weight in Pounds on a Scale for Person With Dementia |
-2.1; -2.1 | — |
| PRIMARY Person With Dementia: Dysfunctional Behavior at Meals Measured With the Edinburgh Feeding in Dementia Scale (EdFED) |
4.0; 2.4 | — |
| PRIMARY Person With Dementia: Quality of Life |
33.7; 33.6 | — |
| PRIMARY Caregiver: Quality of Life Measured With European Quality of Life (Euro-QOL) |
81.6; 70.8 | — |
| PRIMARY Caregiver: Self Efficacy |
4.4; 4.0 | — |
Summary
The goal of this study was to test the efficacy of a mealtime intervention in respite care centers for people with dementia and their caregivers. Mealtimes become more challenging as dementia progresses causing nutritional and behavioral issues in the affected individuals. Using a train-the-trainer program built on the Partners at Meals model, volunteers in respite centers partner worked with caregivers and developed a mealtime plan that builds on the strengths of the person with dementia (PWD), and developed a supportive environment for change. A tele-health component was involved in the communication between the respite center volunteers/staff and families. Recruitment was limited to people attending the particular respite centers. Two large RCCs with a total of 5 sites of care in suburban and rural areas of SC were the sites of this project.
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- Persons with Dementia (PWD): aged ≥ 60 years; attending a participating respite care center (RCC) at least once/week; living with or within the same property as caregiver (CG); diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease or related dementia with mild to moderate stage as demonstrated by the Functional Assessment Staging Scale (FAST) of 5 or greater and a MMSE of 12 or above; absence of wasting disorders (e.g., HIV/AIDS, heart or renal failure or COPD, end-stage cancer); some supervision required or dysfunctional behavior present (e.g., redirection)
- Caregiver (CG): lives with or on same property as the PWD; provides 4 hours or more of care/day; assists with ADLs including meals
- Volunteer: present at the RCC at least weekly (at least 4 hours/week); identify as comfortable in the teacher/coach role, and demonstrate ability to use televideo and photograph.
Exclusion Criteria
- Persons with Dementia (PWD): not receiving enteral feeding or active treatment by a speech pathologist/therapist; not diagnosed with dysphagia as identified by caregiver or on RCC Intake Sheet. Those enrolled in or qualifying for hospice will not be included.
- Caregiver (CG): paid for services as caregiver; unable to speak or read English
- Volunteer: unable to read and speak English
Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03622814). Outcome figures and adverse-event rates are extracted automatically from the registry's posted results and are provided for clinician reference, not as a substitute for the primary publication.