N/A N=44 Supportive Care

Utilizing Senior Companions to Enhance Dementia Care

Alzheimer Disease · Dementia

Bottom Line

View on ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03667924 ↗

Enrolled (actual)

Serious AEs

9.1%

Results posted

Nov 2022

Primary outcome: Primary: Utilization of LTSS by PWML and Caregivers — 1; 1; 2; 1 Participants

Study Design & Population

Study type: Interventional
Phase: N/A
Interventions: PorchLight Project (Behavioral)
Age: Adult, Older Adult · 21+ yrs
Sex: All
Sponsor: University of Minnesota
Primary completion: Aug 2020

Outcome Measures

Outcome	Result	p-value
PRIMARY Utilization of LTSS by PWML and Caregivers	1; 1; 2; 1; 3; 2	—
PRIMARY Quality of Primary Care Interactions	2.92; 3.22; 3.50	—
PRIMARY Caregiver Distress: Burden	20.5; 30.33; 13.00	—
PRIMARY Caregiver Distress: Depressive Symptoms	1.29; 1.22; 1.17	—
PRIMARY PWML Well-being	60.71; 53.83; 52.00	—
PRIMARY PWML Depression	4.00; 3.83; 5.00	—
PRIMARY PWML Quality of Life	34.86; 34.67; 37.20	—
SECONDARY Caregiver Self-efficacy	32.00; 28.33; 31.67	—

Summary

The inability of healthcare systems to effectively manage Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) often results in families remaining unaware of important community-based, long-term services and supports (LTSS) that could help to mitigate the negative effects of cognitive impairment. This project will feature a collaboration between Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota and the University of Minnesota to evaluate a novel adaption of the volunteer Senior Companion Program (SCP) to: a) assist families better manage ADRD at home; b) identify and facilitate the use of LTSS; and c) improve engagement with primary care providers throughout the state of Minnesota. If successful, the PorchLight Project will offer a potentially efficient, wide-ranging service model for states and communities to implement for persons with ADRD and their caregiving families.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion criterion for the Senior Companion: 1) be a current volunteer through LSS-MN 2) be willing to complete the CARES® modules and 4-part training session provided by UMN research staff and 3) be 21 years of age or older.

Inclusion criteria for the PWML will be based on one of the following scenarios: 1) the person or their caregiver are concerned about the person's memory loss, 2) the person has a physician diagnosis of ADRD, 3) the caregiver (or PWML) scores 2 or greater on the AD8. The PWML must be 55 years of age or older.

Inclusion criteria for the caregiver is that the individual is 1) 21 years of age or older, 2) self-identifies as someone who provides help to the PWML because of their cognitive impairments, and 3) the care recipient is eligible for the study as per the above criteria.

Exclusion Criteria

A PWML or caregiver will be ineligible if they have a diagnosis of a serious psychiatric illness, their symptoms have worsened in the last 6 months, and they don't receive steady, ongoing treatment for those symptoms.

View full record on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03667924). 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.