PorchLight Program for Alzheimer's Disease

Age: Any Age

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Minnesota

Disqualifiers: No memory loss, others

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

342 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

The proposed project is a fully embedded pragmatic trial (R01), following an R61 pilot collaboration with Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota (LSS-MN). For this project: a) the training program for Senior Companions that was developed in the R61 Phase will now be delivered as part of a routine onboarding process provided by LSS-MN to all senior support volunteers in half of their program regions across Minnesota; LSS-MN will offer the PorchLight Project program to all regions and volunteers in the state during the final months of the proposed NIA project, consistent with quality improvement approaches; and b) LSS-MN will administer regular surveys to volunteers, clients, and caregivers as part of ongoing tracking and quality improvement efforts. The University of Minnesota investigators will not collect data nor administer training, as these activities will be fully integrated into the workflow of LSS-MN. \[Note: Since it was learned that caregivers receiving services/affiliated with LSS-MN programming who receive surveys are for the most part not providing care to LSS-MN clients, as of fall 2024, UMN will no longer request and analyze data on LSS-MN caregivers.\] UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA INVOLVEMENT: The University of Minnesota and collaborating investigators outside of LSS-MN will only 1) assist in survey item selection, 2) randomize the LSS-MN regions for the initial phases of the real-world trial for evaluation purposes, 3) analyze the de-identified data shared by LSS-MN, and 4) disseminate the project results in scientific, practice, and policy outlets/contexts.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether participants need to stop taking their current medications. It seems focused on training and surveys rather than medication changes.

How is the PorchLight treatment for Alzheimer's disease unique?

The PorchLight treatment is unique because it adapts the Senior Companion Program to provide community-based support through trained volunteers, enhancing memory care services and communication for people with Alzheimer's and their caregivers. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

What data supports the effectiveness of the PorchLight treatment for Alzheimer's disease?

The study on technology-based orientation programs found that light cues, similar to the PorchLight treatment, were effective in helping people with Alzheimer's disease navigate indoor spaces. This suggests that light-based interventions can be beneficial for individuals with Alzheimer's. ^{3 6 7 8 9}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

The PorchLight Project is for volunteers, clients with memory loss or dementia (including Alzheimer's), and their caregivers involved in the LSS-MN Caregiver & Companion Program. Eligible participants include those who have completed required training and surveys by LSS-MN. Excluded are individuals under 18, clients without memory loss, and volunteers who haven't finished the PorchLight program training.

Inclusion Criteria

Participants must be either a volunteer, client, or proxy involved in the LSS-MN standard Caregiver & Companion Program service program

Clients with cognitive concerns via the LSS-MN surveys and/or the LSS-MN CRM database

Volunteers who are listed in the LSS database

Exclusion Criteria

Caregivers who do not indicate presence of memory loss for their care recipient

Clients who do not have memory loss

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Training and Onboarding

The training program for Senior Companions is delivered as part of a routine onboarding process by LSS-MN to senior support volunteers.

4-8 weeks

Implementation and Evaluation

LSS-MN administers regular surveys to volunteers, clients, and their proxies as part of ongoing tracking and quality improvement efforts. The University of Minnesota assists in survey item selection and randomizes regions for evaluation.

12 months

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in various outcome measures such as self-efficacy, service use, and satisfaction with LSS programming.

6 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• PorchLight

Trial Overview This trial tests a training program called PorchLight for senior support volunteers working with people experiencing memory loss or dementia. The University of Minnesota will help select survey items, randomize regions for evaluation purposes, analyze data provided by LSS-MN, and publish results.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: PorchLight Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Group II: Control Active Control 1 Intervention

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Minnesota

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,459

Recruited

1,623,000+

Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

510+

Brown University

Collaborator

Trials

480

Recruited

724,000+

Johns Hopkins University

Collaborator

Trials

2,366

Recruited

15,160,000+

The University of Texas at Arlington

Collaborator

Trials

48

Recruited

7,300+

Published Research Related to This Trial

The Alzheimer's Demonstration program, established in 1991, has successfully developed innovative care models for Alzheimer's patients and their families, particularly benefiting underserved populations such as ethnic minorities and low-income families.

Key successful components of the program, like Mobile Day Care and El Portal services for Latino families, have been identified as replicable in various community settings, providing valuable resources for improving care for Alzheimer's patients.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Exemplars of successful Alzheimer's demonstration projects. Starns, MK., Karner, TX., Montgomery, RJ.[2021]

Citations

1. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evaluating best practices for social model programs for adults with Alzheimer's disease in South Carolina. [2019]

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

Promoting supported ambulation in persons with advanced Alzheimer's disease: a pilot study. [2018]

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

Effectiveness of Environment-Based Interventions That Address Behavior, Perception, and Falls in People With Alzheimer's Disease and Related Major Neurocognitive Disorders: A Systematic Review. [2023]

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

Technology-based orientation programs to support indoor travel by persons with moderate Alzheimer's disease: impact assessment and social validation. [2015]

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

A model for improving the treatment and care of Alzheimer's disease patients through interdisciplinary research. [2022]

6. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Exemplars of successful Alzheimer's demonstration projects. [2021]

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

Design of comprehensive Alzheimer's disease centers to address unmet national needs. [2018]

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

The Porchlight Project: A Pilot Study to Adapt the Senior Companion Program to Enhance Memory Care Services and Supports. [2021]

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

Home-based multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment of inner-city elders with dementia. [2019]