LEAPTogether: An Intergenerational Intervention to Address Loneliness and Social Isolation

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Social Isolation; Loneliness; Intergenerational Relations
• Interventions: Behavioral: Peer Virtual Paired Exercise; Behavioral: Intergenerational Virtual Paired Exercise

• Registration Number: NCT05831475
• Lead Sponsor: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Brief Summary

Older adult participants will engage in exercise videos twice a week for 8 weeks either while paired with a peer (same age group) or paired with a younger adult with the ability to simultaneously video chat while exercising.

Detailed Description

Participation in this study includes:

* Completing assessments at baseline (start of study), 8 weeks, and 16 weeks

* Initial meeting with an Exercise Physiologist to determine exercise interests and preferences

* Being matched with an exercise partner

* Virtually meeting with partner to engage in exercise videos via the FlexTogether platform (meet twice a week for a total of 8 weeks)

* Attend a live group class once a month

* Completing an exit interview

Primary Objective:

To assess feasibility by monitoring adherence to an 8-week virtual paired exercise program for older adults

Secondary Objectives:

1. To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components (i.e., older adults together, younger and older adult pairing) within a virtual program necessary to enhance social connectedness, decrease loneliness, improve well-being, and increase physical activity in older adults and younger adult participants in the short-term (pre-post) through surveys and qualitative interviews

2. To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components (i.e., older adults together, younger and older adult pairing) within a virtual program necessary to enhance social connectedness, decrease loneliness, improve well-being, and increase physical activity in older adults and younger adult participants in the long-term (8 weeks post-intervention / 18 weeks on study) through surveys and qualitative interviews

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2023-02-06
• Study First Submitted QC: 2023-04-25
• Study First Posted: 2023-04-26
• Study Start: 2023-09-07
• Status Verified: 2024-08
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-08-21
• Last Update Posted: 2024-08-22
• Primary Completion: 2025-05
• Study Completion: 2025-10

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 80

Inclusion Criteria

• Verbal informed consent obtained from subject and ability for subject to comply with the requirements of the study
• Age 18-30 years for younger adults
• Age greater than or equal to 65 years for older adults
• Has access to a tablet, laptop, or desktop computer with video capabilities connected to the internet with a screen at least 13 inches across
• Able to read, write, and understand English
• Has a 5 x 6 foot space at home in which to exercise

Exclusion Criteria

• Current diagnosis of dementia

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Peer Pairings	Peer Virtual Paired Exercise	Two older adults paired
Intergenerational Pairings	Intergenerational Virtual Paired Exercise	A younger adult and older adult paired

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Adherence to an 8-week virtual paired exercise program for older adults	Attendance over 8-weeks	Adherence defined as attending at least 12 out of 16 sessions (70% attendance)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
social connectedness per units in scale	baseline and 10 weeks	To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components (i.e. solo, older adults together, younger and older adult pairing) within a virtual program necessary to enhance social connectedness in the short-term (pre-post) through Duke Social Support Index (min score- 11, max score- 33; higher score indicates higher social support and interaction).
pre/post loneliness per units in scale	baseline and 10 weeks	To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components (i.e. solo, older adults together, younger and older adult pairing) within a virtual program necessary to decrease loneliness in the short-term (pre-post) through UCLA Loneliness Survey (min score- 3, max score- 9; higher scores correspond to higher feelings of loneliness)
long-term loneliness per units in scale	18 weeks	To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components (i.e. solo, older adults together, younger and older adult pairing) within a virtual program necessary to decrease loneliness in the long-term (4.5 months/18 weeks) through UCLA Loneliness Survey (min score- 3, max score- 9; higher scores correspond to higher feelings of loneliness)
long-term emotional, social, and psychological well-being per units in scale	18 weeks	To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components (i.e. solo, older adults together, younger and older adult pairing) within a virtual program necessary to improve well-being in the long-term (4.5 months/18 weeks) through Mental Health Continuum Short-Form (min score- 14, max score- 84; higher scores indicate greater levels of positive well-being)
pre/post emotional, social, and psychological well-being per units in scale	baseline and 10 weeks	To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components (i.e. solo, older adults together, younger and older adult pairing) within a virtual program necessary to improve well-being in the short-term (pre-post) through Mental Health Continuum Short-Form (min score- 14, max score- 84; higher scores indicate greater levels of positive well-being)
Key social pairing components in virtual programming	10 weeks	Qualitative interview to capture any other thoughts and observations from participants that are not easily captured in surveys
pre/post expectations regarding aging per units in scale	baseline and 10 weeks	To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components (i.e. solo, older adults together, younger and older adult pairing) within a virtual program necessary to improve well-being in the short-term (pre-post) through Expectations Regarding Aging Survey (min score- 12, max score- 48; higher score indicates higher (positive) expectations of aging)
pre/post physical activity per units in scale	baseline and 10 weeks	To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components (i.e. solo, older adults together, younger and older adult pairing) within a virtual program necessary to increase physical activity in older adults and younger adult participants in the short-term (pre-post) through Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire (min score- 0, max score- 24+; total of 14 or less indicates insufficient activity/sedentary lifestyle, 24 units or more indicates active lifestyle)
pre/post physical activity per 30 second sit to stand	baseline and 10 weeks	To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components (i.e. solo, older adults together, younger and older adult pairing) within a virtual program necessary to increase physical activity in older adults and younger adult participants in the short-term (pre-post) through 30 second sit to stand (how many times can the participant sit and stand without using their hands in a 30 second period, higher number indicates higher level of endurance)
pre/post generativity per units in scale	baseline and 10 weeks	To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components (i.e. solo, older adults together, younger and older adult pairing) within a virtual program necessary to improve well-being in the short-term (pre-post) through Baltimore Experience Corps Trial Generativity Scale (min score- 13, max score- 65; higher score indicates higher levels of generativity)
long-term social connectedness per units in scale	18 weeks	To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components (i.e. solo, older adults together, younger and older adult pairing) within a virtual program necessary to enhance social connectedness in the long-term (4.5 months/18 weeks) through Duke Social Support Index (min score- 11, max score- 33; higher score indicates higher social support and interaction).
long-term expectations regarding aging per units in scale	18 weeks	To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components (i.e. solo, older adults together, younger and older adult pairing) within a virtual program necessary to improve well-being in the long-term (4.5 months/18 weeks) through Expectations Regarding Aging Survey (min score- 12, max score- 48; higher score indicates higher (positive) expectations of aging)
long-term generativity per units in scale	18 weeks	To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components (i.e. solo, older adults together, younger and older adult pairing) within a virtual program necessary to improve well-being in the long-term (4.5 months/18 weeks) through Baltimore Experience Corps Trial Generativity Scale (min score- 13, max score- 65; higher score indicates higher levels of generativity)
long-term physical activity per units in scale	18 weeks	To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components within a virtual program necessary to increase physical activity in older adults and younger adult participants in the long-term (4.5 months/18 weeks) through Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire (min score- 0, max score- 24+; total of 14 or less indicates insufficient activity/sedentary lifestyle, 24 units or more indicates active lifestyle)
long-term physical activity per 30 second sit to stand	18 weeks	To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components within a virtual program necessary to increase physical activity in older adults and younger adult participants in the long-term (4.5 months/18 weeks) through 30 second sit to stand (how many times can the participant sit and stand without using their hands in a 30 second period, higher number indicates higher level of endurance)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center; 🇺🇸 Beverly Hills, California, United States