SOcial coNNEction in Long-Term Care Home Residents
- Conditions
- Dementia
- Registration Number
- NCT05315960
- Lead Sponsor
- University College, London
- Brief Summary
This study aims to develop a new measure which can accurately assess social connection for people with dementia living in long-term care homes. The Social Connection in Long-term Care home residents (SONNET) study will use interviews and focus groups with people affected by dementia and long-term care residents to establish what aspects of social connection are important for people living in care homes. These findings and a review of other studies and measures will be used to develop a new measure or measures of social connection which will then be tested in a study based in care homes in Canada and the UK.
- Detailed Description
Research Question:
Can a new measure reliably and validly assess social connection for people with dementia in care homes?
Background:
Social connection, including objective and subjective constructs relating to human relationships, is a fundamental human need, but is impaired in people with dementia, particularly in those living in long-term care (LTC) settings due to cognitive impairment, complex health needs, and separation from previous social networks and community activities. Measurement instruments therefore need to be tailored to the distinct characteristics of this population and be tested in this setting, but there is no current evidence-based consensus on the best approaches to measurement.
Objectives:
1. Appraise existing measures of social connection used in LTC homes
2. Evaluate which aspects of social connection are considered important by people affected by dementia and professional staff
3. Develop a new measure informed by our appraisal of previous measures and the priorities of key stakeholders and test its preliminary psychometric properties
Methods:
A systematic review of measurement instruments assessing social connection in LTC residents, including dementia-specific measures will be conducted and measures will be appraised using COSMIN (COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments) methodology. Focus groups and qualitative interviews will then be conducted with 50-70 people living with dementia, LTC residents, families, clinicians, care staff, and researchers in the UK and Canada to establish the important aspects of social connection and its measurement, including considerations for LTC residents with dementia and those with different stages of dementia severity. Findings from the systematic review and qualitative study will be used to inform the development of a measure or measures which will be iteratively refined during interviews. Finally, the new measure(s) will be tested for psychometric properties in 150 people with dementia living in LTC homes in the UK and Canada to establish acceptability, reliability, and validity.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- RECRUITING
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 220
Not provided
Not provided
Study & Design
- Study Type
- OBSERVATIONAL
- Study Design
- Not specified
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Resident Assessment Instrument-Minimum Data Set (RAI-MDS) Index of Social Engagement 10 minutes Minimum 0, Maximum 6. Higher scores indicate a higher level of social engagement.
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Katz Index of Independence in activities of Daily Living 10 minutes Minimum 0, Maximum 6. Higher scores indicate more independence in activities in daily living.
Clinical Dementia Rating Scale 10 minutes Minimum 0, Maximum 5. Higher scores indicate a more severe dementia.
Neuropsychiatric Inventory 10 minutes Minimum 0, Maximum 144. Higher scores indicate a more severe neuropsychiatric symptoms.
Dementia-specific quality of life (DEMQOL-Proxy) 10 minutes Minimum 31, Maximum 124. Higher scores indicate better health-related quality of life.
Family caregiver proxy-raters only will also be asked to completed the EQ5D 5 minutes Minimum 0, Maximum 1. Higher scores indicate better quality of life.
Trial Locations
- Locations (2)
University Health Network
🇨🇦Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Division of Psychiatry, University College London
🇬🇧London, United Kingdom