MEMORI Corps: Activity-based Companion Care for Dementia

Summary

This project adapts a novel activity-based companion care model, the Making Engagement Meaningful through Organized Routine Interaction (MEMORI) Corps intervention, for a virtual delivery format, and then implements the intervention in a pilot, two-arm, randomized controlled trial to evaluate intervention acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy versus an augmented waitlist control. MEMORI Corps is a companion care model that provides regular companionship and personalized activities to community-living persons with dementia (PWD) delivered by trained volunteer Companion Guides 55 years of age or older. Program goals are to reduce social isolation and improve health and well-being for PWD, reduce burden and provide support to family CGs, as well as provide health benefits and opportunities for meaningful engagement for older volunteer Companion Guides.

Conditions

• Alzheimer Disease
• Dementia

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

MEMORI Corps program

MEMORI Corps program: Virtual activity-based companion care program. Delivered by trained volunteers 55 years and older, supported by a clinical team, over a 12-week intervention period (up to 5 hours per week, one or more days per week) for each person with dementia/family caregiver dyad. Primary roles of the volunteers are to provide socialization, companionship, and a personalized activity program that focuses on meaningful, engaging and enjoyable activities that match the participant's abilities and interests. Delivered virtually by Zoom.

OTHER

Augmented Waitlist Control

Participants living with dementia/caregivers will continue any services and supports already engaged with, will receive a free copy of "A Caregiver's Guide to Dementia: Using Activities and Other Strategies to Prevent, Reduce and Manage Behavioral Symptom"), a Resource Guide (ie.,local, regional and national resources), and check-in calls to answer any questions about the materials. Waitlist are offered full intervention after waitlist period. Volunteers randomized to waitlist control continue usual activities (volunteer or other), and resource a resource guide on cognitive health (NIA) and exercise and Physical Activity (Go4Life), referrals to volunteering opportunities, and check-in calls to answer questions and maintain engagement. Waitlist dyads will be followed at specified intervals by the research team and then offered an opportunity for participation in the intervention arm.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Alzheimer's Association

  collaborator OTHER

• National Institute on Aging (NIA)

  collaborator NIH

• Johns Hopkins University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Quincy Samus, PhD · Johns Hopkins University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

115 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2022-03-01

Primary Completion

2024-08-12

Completion

2025-05-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations