Geriatric Trauma Care Program for Living Alone Older Adults With Injuries

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Older Adults; Geriatric; Pain; Geriatric Depression; Barthel Index; Quality of Life; Loneliness; Limb Injury

• Registration Number: NCT06902636
• Lead Sponsor: Kaohsiung Medical University

Brief Summary

To examine the long-term effects of the Geriatric Trauma Care Program (GTCP) regarding pain, functional disability, depression, loneliness, and health-related quality of life among older adults with traumatic injuries who live alone.

Detailed Description

Traumatic injuries among older adults represent a significant public health concern due to their potential to severely affect individuals' long-term physical, emotional, and social well-being. Older adults who experience traumatic injuries often face substantial challenges during recovery, particularly those living alone who may lack sufficient support systems, exacerbating their vulnerability to chronic health issues. Pain, functional disability, depression, loneliness, and diminished health-related quality of life are prevalent adverse outcomes following traumatic injuries, underscoring the critical need for effective, targeted care strategies to address these multidimensional impacts.

The Geriatric Trauma Care Program (GTCP) is a nurse practitioner-led, digitalized trauma care program designed to provide comprehensive and accessible intervention aimed at improving immediate trauma care outcomes and facilitating sustainable recovery among older adults. While short-term benefits of digitally supported, geriatric-focused trauma interventions have been documented, the long-term effectiveness of such programs, especially for older individuals who live alone, remains less understood. Consequently, examining the enduring impact of the GTCP is essential to determine its effectiveness in fostering sustained recovery and improving quality of life for this vulnerable population. This study aims to address this gap by evaluating the long-term effects of the GTCP on pain, functional disability, depression, loneliness, and health-related quality of life among older adults with traumatic injuries who live alone. Findings from this research will provide valuable insights for healthcare providers and policymakers to enhance care delivery models, optimize resource allocation, and ultimately improve long-term outcomes for older adults recovering from traumatic injuries.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2025-03-21
• Study Start: 2025-03-27
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-03-27
• Study First Posted: 2025-03-30
• Status Verified: 2025-05
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-05-13
• Last Update Posted: 2025-05-16
• Primary Completion: 2026-07-31
• Study Completion: 2026-07-31

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 90

Inclusion Criteria

1. willing to join this study for three months
2. with limb injuries
3. living alone in a household
4. aged 65 years old or older
5. independent before a traumatic injury
6. having a smartphone.

Exclusion Criteria

1. with an ISS greater than 16 (severe injuries)
2. having cognitive impairments
3. diagnosed with psychiatric illness

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Pain intensity	Day 1 at Hospital discharge, 1 month, and 3 months	Measured by the Numeric Pain Rating Scale with the numbers 0-10, with 0 meaning no pain and 10 meaning the worst pain.
Functional disability	Day 1 at Hospital discharge, 1 month, and 3 months	The Barthel's Index consists of 30 items, ranging from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater functional capacity.
Depression	Day 1 at Hospital discharge, 1 month, and 3 months	The Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form, which comprises 15 items scored on a two-point scale (0 = no, 1 = yes). It scores ranged from 0-15 with the higher indicated the more severe depression symptoms.
Loneliness	Day 1 at Hospital discharge, 1 month, and 3 months	The Elderly Loneliness Scale has eight items, with a higher score indicating more loneliness.
Health-related quality of life	Day 1 at Hospital discharge, 1 month, and 3 months	The EuroQol-5D has five items with higher score indicated a worse health condition.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Kaohsiung Medical University Chung Ho Memorial Hospital; 🇨🇳 Kaohsiung, Taiwan