APIC for Older Adults

(APIC Trial)

Not currently recruiting at 8 trial locations

Overseen By Catherine Maisonneuve

Age: 65+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Mélanie Levasseur

Disqualifiers: Moderate to severe cognitive impairments

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 12

Duration: 12 months

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests a program called Personalised Citizen Assistance for Social Participation (APIC), which aims to help older adults stay healthy and engaged in their communities. Participants will attend weekly sessions with a trained volunteer for a year to boost their involvement and connections with others. The goal is to determine if this program improves health, life satisfaction, and reduces healthcare use and costs. This trial may suit those aged 65 and older who live at home or in senior residences, struggle with tasks like shopping or cleaning, and understand French or English. As an unphased trial, this study offers a unique opportunity to contribute to research that could enhance community engagement and well-being for older adults.

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 prior data suggests that the APIC intervention is safe for older adults?

Research has shown that Personalized Citizen Assistance for Social Participation (APIC) is a promising method for helping older adults. Studies have found that APIC increases social activities, movement, and leisure time for older adults. It also improves their mental and physical health, sense of connection, and motivation.

Regarding safety, studies involving APIC have reported no negative effects, suggesting it is well-tolerated. The sessions aim to empower individuals and help them connect with their community, making it a supportive and safe option. For those considering joining a trial with APIC, current data suggests it is a safe choice. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the APIC (Personalised citizen assistance for social participation) because it approaches the well-being of older adults in a unique way. Unlike traditional care, which often focuses on medical or physical interventions, APIC emphasizes social engagement and empowerment through personalized weekly sessions. These sessions are designed to mobilize personal and environmental resources and integrate participants into their communities, potentially improving mental and social health. This approach could offer a more holistic method of enhancing quality of life for older adults beyond standard healthcare services.

What evidence suggests that the APIC intervention is effective for improving older adults' health and social participation?

Research has shown that the Personalised Citizen Assistance for Social Participation (APIC), which participants in this trial may receive, positively affects the lives of older adults. Studies have found that APIC helps older adults become more independent, enabling them to do more on their own. Participants reported feeling happier with their social interactions. Some evidence suggests that APIC assists older adults with vision problems in overcoming social challenges. Overall, APIC appears to increase community involvement and improve the quality of life for older adults. ^{4 6 7 8 9}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Mélanie Levasseur

Principal Investigator

Université de Sherbrooke; Research centre on aging

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for older adults aged 65 or above who live at home or in senior residences, have difficulty with daily tasks like house cleaning or shopping, and understand French or English well. It's not suitable for those with moderate to severe cognitive impairments.

Inclusion Criteria

I understand French or English well.

Living at home or in seniors' residences

I need help with daily tasks like shopping or cleaning.

Exclusion Criteria

I have significant memory or thinking problems.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive weekly 3-hour personalised stimulation sessions by a trained volunteer over 12 months

12 months

Weekly sessions

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for health, social participation, and life satisfaction outcomes

12 months

Assessments at 12, 18, and 24 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Personalised citizen assistance for social participation(APIC)

Trial Overview The study tests the 'Personalised citizen assistance for social participation (APIC)' intervention aimed at improving health, social engagement, life satisfaction, and reducing healthcare service use among older adults by enhancing their social participation.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Personalised citizen assistance Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

The experimental group will receive the Personalised citizen assistance for social participation (APIC), i.e. weekly 3-hour personalised stimulation sessions by a trained volunteer over 12 months. Sessions will encourage empowerment, gradual mobilisation of personal and environmental resources, and community integration.

Group II: Control group Active Control 1 Intervention

The control group will receive the publicly-funded universal healthcare services available to all Quebecers.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Mélanie Levasseur

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1

Recruited

180+

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

Collaborator

Trials

1,417

Recruited

26,550,000+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5884338/

Effect of personalised citizen assistance for social ... An RCT is justified to rigorously evaluate the APIC's impacts on older adults' health (primary outcome), social participation, life satisfaction ...

2. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167494316300012

Personalized citizen assistance for social participation (APIC) Results. APIC increased older adults' functional autonomy (p = 0.02), accomplishment (p < 0.01) and satisfaction (p = 0.02) with social participation, and ...

3. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03161860

Effect of Personalised Citizen Assistance for Social Participation ... Effect of personalised citizen assistance for social participation (APIC) on older adults' health and social participation: study protocol for a pragmatic ...

4. tandfonline.com tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09638288.2024.2383833

Personalized Citizen Assistance for Social Participation ... The APIC is a promising intervention which helps older adults with visual impairment to deal with social restrictions.

5. hal.science hal.science/hal-04678684/document

Personalized Citizen Assistance for Social Participation ( ... The 3 older adults who showed a clinically significant improvement in their total score of social participation accomplishment at T1, and which ...

6. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26952383/

Personalized citizen assistance for social participation (APIC) APIC is a personalized intervention with weekly sessions that increased older adults' functional autonomy, social participation, and leisure ...

7. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT03161860

Effect of Personalised Citizen Assistance for Social Participation ... The age groups are: Child (birth-17); Adult (18-64); Older Adult (65+) ... A measure of all deaths, due to any cause, that occur during a clinical study. ... A ...

8. bmjopen.bmj.com bmjopen.bmj.com/content/8/3/e018676

Effect of personalised citizen assistance for social ... The APIC seemed to increase their psychological and physical well-being, feeling of control, connectedness, self-esteem and motivation to accomplish activities.

9. researchgate.net researchgate.net/publication/289694141_Personalized_citizen_assistance_for_social_participation_APIC_A_promising_intervention_for_increasing_mobility_accomplishment_of_social_activities_and_frequency_of_leisure_activities_in_older_adults_h

Personalized citizen assistance for social participation (APIC) Objective: This study explored the impact of APIC on older adults with disabilities. Methods: A mixed-method design including a pre-experimental ...