None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Up to half of people living in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) have significant depression symptoms. Many residents are socially isolated in RACFs even though they are in communal living, and social isolation is a contributor to depression. The literature provides some evidence for ‘befriending’ in alleviating depression, anxiety, social isolation and loneliness as well as improving quality of life and wellbeing, but few studies have been conducted for older adults living in RACFs. Befriending is non-directive emotional and social support generally provided on a regular basis by volunteers. We propose a randomized controlled trial of befriending compared with treatment as usual to improve depression, anxiety, social support and loneliness among residents of RACFs. An economic evaluation will examine the costs and benefits of the program. Volunteers will be trained using beyondblue resources and a manual for befriending already developed but to be further modified by the investigators. If successful the befriending model can be translated to the wider aged care sector to more effectively support residents and to reduce the prevalence of depression, anxiety and loneliness and improve social support in RACFs.
Interventions
Up to half of people living in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) have significant depression symptoms. Many residents are socially isolated in RACFs even though they are in communal living, and social isolation is a contributor to depression. The literature provides some evidence for ‘befriending’ in alleviating depression, anxiety, social isolation and loneliness as well as improving quality of life and wellbeing, but few studies have been conducted for older adults living in RACFs. Befr
Up to half of people living in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) have significant depression symptoms. Many residents are socially isolated in RACFs even though they are in communal living, and social isolation is a contributor to depression. The literature provides some evidence for ‘befriending’ in alleviating depression, anxiety, social isolation and loneliness as well as improving quality of life and wellbeing, but few studies have been conducted for older adults living in RACFs. Befriending is non-directive emotional and social support generally provided on a regular basis by volunteers. Volunteers will be recruited and trained using beyondblue resources and a manual for befriending. Befriending will be delivered by volunteers to residents at least weekly for four months. Befriending will be one-on-one and preferably face to face at RACFs, but can include telephone calls or skype calls if a face to face visit is not possible that week, to accumulate 30-60 minutes of befriending per week. Befriending conversations will consist of neutral topics of interest to both parties, including discussions around hobbies, family, neutral news topics, and other topics to be negotiated between the two parties and tailored to individual interests. Each befriending visit will be audio recorded to enable the project team to monitor a 10% random sample to test fidelity to treatment.
Sponsors
National Ageing Research Institute
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Blinded (masking used) (Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
65 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Initial Eligibility criteria 1. Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) score of 8 or greater as assessed by RACF staff (no longer than six months prior). The CSDD is routinely used in RACFs as part of funding reliability assessments and has been found to be a valid and reliable tool (Korner et al, 2006) or 2. Psychogeriatric Assessment Scale – Cognitive Impairment Scale (PAS-CIS; Jorm & Mackinnon, 1995) score equal to or less than 10, as assessed by RACF staff (no longer than six months prior) or 3. Clinical judgement of clinical care manager indicating significant depression or anxiety symptoms, confirmed in further screening. Further Eligibility screen 1. Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS;15 item version; Li et al, 2015) score of 4 or greater as assessed by the research team. 2. General Practitioner Assessment of Cognition (GPCOG; Brodaty et al, 2002) score of 4 or greater as assessed by the research assistants.
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria for residents: -inability to give informed consent or understand English; -PAS-CIS score greater than 10 (indicating moderate or severe cognitive impairment); -progressive, unstable medical or neurological illness. -under 65 years (Participants will be over 65 in line with the aims of the funding call).
Outcome results
None listed