MedTrace Logo

Utilizing Senior Companions to Enhance Dementia Care

NCT03667924 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 44

Last updated 2026-04-08

Study results available
· View outcomes & findings →

Summary

The inability of healthcare systems to effectively manage Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) often results in families remaining unaware of important community-based, long-term services and supports (LTSS) that could help to mitigate the negative effects of cognitive impairment. This project will feature a collaboration between Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota and the University of Minnesota to evaluate a novel adaption of the volunteer Senior Companion Program (SCP) to: a) assist families better manage ADRD at home; b) identify and facilitate the use of LTSS; and c) improve engagement with primary care providers throughout the state of Minnesota. If successful, the PorchLight Project will offer a potentially efficient, wide-ranging service model for states and communities to implement for persons with ADRD and their caregiving families.

Conditions

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

PorchLight Project

Senior Companions (or other LSS-MN volunteers providing senior companionship services) who deliver the PorchLight Project will complete online CARES® Dementia Care Specialist training modules, additional trainings delivered by the research team (1. overview of the PorchLight Project, 2. review of the National Consensus Guidelines on Palliative Care, 3. review of the list of guided questions, and 4. review of journaling approach and LTSS resources), and participate in unstructured monthly check-ins (discussions and case review as applicable) with the research team.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Design

Allocation
NA
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Model
SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age
21 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2019-04-29
Primary Completion
2020-08-31
Completion
2020-08-31

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

More Related Trials

Entities

Diseases
Companies

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT03667924 on ClinicalTrials.gov