Rideshare Services for Alzheimer's Disease

Overseen By Brianna Matel, MSW

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Phase 1

Sponsor: Onward Health, Inc

Disqualifiers: Other transportation study, Comfort care, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

120 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Curb-to-Curb Rideshare Services, Door-Through-Door Companion Rideshare Technology for Alzheimer's Disease?

Research shows that using technology to give verbal instructions can help people with Alzheimer's disease do daily activities and improve their mood. This suggests that technology-based services, like rideshare with companion support, might also help improve daily life and mood for those with Alzheimer's. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

How is the Door-Through-Door Companion Rideshare Technology treatment different from other treatments for Alzheimer's disease?

This treatment is unique because it uses rideshare technology to provide door-through-door companion services, which can help Alzheimer's patients with transportation and social engagement, unlike traditional treatments that focus on medication or cognitive therapies. ^{2 4 6 7 8}

What is the purpose of this trial?

The goal of this pilot randomized controlled trial is to assess the impact of D2D rideshare services with a trained companion driver on the rate of medical appointments for older adults and individuals with AD/ADRD. Participants will be assigned either door-through-door (D2D) rideshare or curb-to-curb (C2C) rideshare services. he main question it aims to answer is: Do D2D rideshare services reduce missed medical appointment rates compared to C2C rideshare services?

Research Team

Kimberly Wachter Petty, MBA

Principal Investigator

Onward Health, Inc

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for older adults and individuals with Alzheimer's Disease or related dementias who need transportation to medical appointments. Participants should be able to enter and exit a vehicle with minimal assistance.

Inclusion Criteria

Participants have scheduled medical appointments at partner practices of Onward

I am 60 years old or older.

Participants are community-dwelling

Exclusion Criteria

Participants currently enrolled in another transportation study

I am currently using a transportation service.

I am receiving comfort care only.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention

Participants receive either Door-through-Door rideshare services with a trained companion driver or Curb-to-Curb rideshare services

9 months

Regular rides to medical appointments

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for appointment adherence, quality of life, ride satisfaction, and other secondary outcomes

9 months

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Curb-to-Curb Rideshare Services
• Door-Through-Door Companion Rideshare Technology

Trial Overview The study compares two types of rideshare services: door-through-door (D2D) with a trained companion driver, versus curb-to-curb (C2C). It aims to see if D2D reduces missed medical appointments more effectively than C2C.

Participant Groups

Group I: Intervention Group: Door-through-Door Rides Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Intervention Group (D2D): Door-to-Door rideshare services with a trained companion driver.

Group II: Control Group (C2C): Curb-to-Curb Rides Active Control 1 Intervention

Control Group (C2C): Standard Curb-to-Curb rideshare services.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Onward Health, Inc

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1

Recruited

120+

National Institute on Aging (NIA)

Collaborator

Trials

1,841

Recruited

28,150,000+

Findings from Research

The companion robot Paro significantly improved facial expressions and social interactions among dementia patients in day care settings, particularly for those with less cognitive impairment.

However, there were no significant changes in overall dementia symptoms or physiological measures between those using Paro and those receiving standard care, indicating that while Paro may enhance social and emotional engagement, its impact on clinical symptoms needs further investigation.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Pilot Randomized Trial of a Companion Robot for People With Dementia Living in the Community. Liang, A., Piroth, I., Robinson, H., et al.[2020]

Verbal-instruction technology significantly helped individuals with mild and moderate Alzheimer's disease perform daily activities, with seven out of nine participants showing accurate performance in tasks like snack preparation and shaving.

The intervention also positively impacted mood, as eight participants exhibited increased happiness or decreased unhappiness during the activities, suggesting that this approach can enhance both activity engagement and emotional well-being.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Persons with mild and moderate Alzheimer's disease use verbal-instruction technology to manage daily activities: effects on performance and mood. Lancioni, G., Singh, N., O'Reilly, M., et al.[2022]

Verbal instructions delivered through technology effectively assisted individuals with moderate Alzheimer's disease in performing daily activities, such as coffee and tea preparation and applying make-up, across three studies involving a total of 7 women.

Engaging in these activities not only improved task performance but also enhanced the participants' mood, as indicated by increased happiness during the activity compared to nonactivity periods.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Persons with moderate Alzheimer's disease improve activities and mood via instruction technology. Lancioni, GE., Singh, NN., O'Reilly, MF., et al.[2022]

An ideal information and communication technology (ICT) framework for supporting outdoor and social activities in dementia should be adaptable, utilizing artificial intelligence to enhance usability and ensure user safety while respecting individual cognitive abilities.

Implementing ICT services early in the dementia process, particularly at the prodromal stage, can significantly improve quality of life and social engagement, but requires careful validation and substantial investment to achieve high clinical impact.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Information and communication technology solutions for outdoor navigation in dementia. Teipel, S., Babiloni, C., Hoey, J., et al.[2018]

In a review of four large, multi-national clinical trials involving nearly identical patient criteria, it was found that disease progression in Alzheimer's disease varies significantly across geographic regions, with Eastern Europe/Russia showing the most severe decline in cognitive and functional abilities.

The study highlights that baseline disease severity differs among regions, which may impact the measurement of Alzheimer's progression in clinical trials and suggests that these findings could reflect real-world variations in patient populations.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Alzheimer's disease progression by geographical region in a clinical trial setting. Henley, DB., Dowsett, SA., Chen, YF., et al.[2019]

A pictorial instruction program using a portable computer was effective in helping three patients with moderate Alzheimer's disease perform daily activities, achieving high percentages of correct activity steps similar to those seen with more advanced technologies.

In a follow-up study, two patients demonstrated successful indoor travel performance using a basic doorbell system with sound and light cues, with results comparable to those from previous studies using more sophisticated systems, indicating that simpler technologies can still be effective.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Supporting daily activities and indoor travel of persons with moderate Alzheimer's disease through standard technology resources. Lancioni, GE., Singh, NN., O'Reilly, MF., et al.[2019]

A study involving nine patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease suggested that verbal-instruction technology can help them maintain their ability to perform daily activities, with follow-up durations ranging from 6 to 14 months.

Most patients demonstrated improved mood during activities, indicating that this technology not only aids in task performance but may also enhance emotional well-being.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Persons with Alzheimer's disease perform daily activities using verbal-instruction technology: a maintenance assessment. Lancioni, G., Singh, N., O'Reilly, M., et al.[2022]

I-CARE is a user-friendly tablet application designed to help caregivers activate and engage individuals with dementia, requiring no special training, which enhances the quality of care provided.

The system personalizes activation content based on user feedback and past interactions, allowing caregivers to track progress and connect with professionals for real-time support, ultimately fostering community involvement in dementia care.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

I-CARE-An Interaction System for the Individual Activation of People with Dementia. Schultz, T., Putze, F., Steinert, L., et al.[2021]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Pilot Randomized Trial of a Companion Robot for People With Dementia Living in the Community. [2020]

2. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Persons with mild and moderate Alzheimer's disease use verbal-instruction technology to manage daily activities: effects on performance and mood. [2022]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Persons with moderate Alzheimer's disease improve activities and mood via instruction technology. [2022]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Information and communication technology solutions for outdoor navigation in dementia. [2018]

5. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Alzheimer's disease progression by geographical region in a clinical trial setting. [2019]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Supporting daily activities and indoor travel of persons with moderate Alzheimer's disease through standard technology resources. [2019]

7. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Persons with Alzheimer's disease perform daily activities using verbal-instruction technology: a maintenance assessment. [2022]

8. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

I-CARE-An Interaction System for the Individual Activation of People with Dementia. [2021]