Penpal Loneliness Project

NCT ID: NCT04797026

Last Updated: 2021-12-30

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

WITHDRAWN

Clinical Phase

NA

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2021-09-15

Study Completion Date

2022-03-20

Brief Summary

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The purpose of this research is to study whether sending letters helps reduce loneliness for either the facility resident or the teenager.

Detailed Description

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Hypothesis: Our hypothesis is that a social program connecting patients in residential care facilities with high school students through monthly letter writing would positively impact quality of life for both, reducing quantitative and qualitiative measures of loneliness

Aims, purpose, or objectives:

Our objective is to reduce loneliness and increase quality of life for patients residing in residential care facilities and for high school students.

Background (Include relevant experience, gaps in current knowledge, preliminary data, etc.):

In response to the Covid pandemic, to protect their residents, residential care facilities have implemented restrictions limiting visitors as well as social activities. Anecdoctally this has negative impacted the quality of life of those residents, increasing their loneliness. Previous studies have shown positive impact of intergenerational programs including penpal programs.

Conditions

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Loneliness

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NA

Intervention Model

SINGLE_GROUP

5 care facility residents paired with a similar amount of students as a pilot. If this program is successful, we will plan to amend IRB to include larger numbers
Primary Study Purpose

OTHER

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Penpal Program to Alleviate Loneliness

A social program connecting patients in residential care facilities with high school students through monthly letter writing would positively impact quality of life for both, reducing quantitative and qualitative measures of loneliness

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Letters to increase social connection with goal to alleviate loneliness

Intervention Type OTHER

Our hypothesis is that a social program connecting patients in residential care facilities with high school students through monthly letter writing would positively impact quality of life for both, reducing quantitative and qualitiative measures of loneliness

Interventions

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Letters to increase social connection with goal to alleviate loneliness

Our hypothesis is that a social program connecting patients in residential care facilities with high school students through monthly letter writing would positively impact quality of life for both, reducing quantitative and qualitiative measures of loneliness

Intervention Type OTHER

Other Intervention Names

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Letters

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Care facility residents with capacity to make decisions:
* Measured via their most recent cognitive assessment;
* Subjectively measured via nursing staff.
* High school students will be invited via recommendation of their instructors and school administrative staff:
* Parental permission will be required.

Exclusion Criteria

* Care facility residents that have significant cognitive impairment.
* Residents who lack decision-making capacity.
Minimum Eligible Age

15 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Mayo Clinic

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Susan B. Laabs

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Susan Laabs, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Mayo Clinic

Countries

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United States

Related Links

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Other Identifiers

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20-009976

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id