Connect-Home: Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (CH-ADRD)

University of North Carolina (UNC)

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Alzheimer Disease; Dementia

Treatments: Behavioral: Connect-Home ADRD

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT06840587

24-2766

2R01NR017636-05A1 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study is a parallel arm, cluster randomized trial (CRT) to test the efficacy of Connect-Home ADRD, a transitional care intervention focusing on Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) patients with Alzheimer's disease and dementias and their caregivers during transitions from SNFs to home, assisted, living, and long-term care. The primary hypothesis is that the intervention will reduce caregiver strain (Aim 1) and patient neuropsychiatric symptoms (Aim 2).

Full description

Connect-Home ADRD is a Donabedian-guided intervention that introduces new structure and processes to support Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) staff delivery of transitional care for transitions to home, assisted living, or long-term care, and post-discharge transitional care by the Dementia Caregiving Specialist (DCS).

The research objective is to test the efficacy of Connect-Home ADRD, a transitional care intervention, targeting Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) and their primary caregivers who discharge home and other settings of care. The study will be set in 12 North Carolina SNFs and in the patient's discharge destination (during intervention periods only). Using a cluster-randomized trial design, twelve SNFs will be randomly allocated to an intervention group (N=6 SNFs) and to a control group (N=6 SNFs) by a study statistician masked to SNF identity. 360 dyads of SNF patients with ADRD and caregivers will be enrolled in 12 SNFs.

Enrollment: 360 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 19+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Patients:

• Ability to speak English
• Goal of discharge to home, assisted living, or long-term care
• Diagnosis of dementia
• Having a caregiver willing to participate

Caregivers:

• Ability to speak English
• Legally authorized representative (LAR) who also provides support for the person with ADRD

Inclusion criteria for SNFs:

• Location within 120 miles of UNC-Chapel Hill
• Admission of at least 75 SNF patients per year

Exclusion criteria

Patients:

• Planned hospital readmission for procedures or treatments within 30 days post enrollment.

Caregivers:

• LAR is a court-appointed guardian.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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360 participants in 2 patient groups

Connect-Home ADRD Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

The Connect-Home ADRD Intervention will include: 1. Support for SNF staff delivery of transitional care processes including a ADRD transition plan and booklet, caregiver training and engagement, and handoff of care to community providers and Dementia Caregiving Specialist. 2. Support for patients and caregivers provided by the Dementia Caregiving Specialist in three follow-up supportive telephone calls within 30 days of SNF discharge.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Connect-Home ADRD

Standard Care - Control Group

No Intervention group

Description:

Patient and caregiver dyad randomized to the control arm will receive usual SNF and post-discharge care.