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Find more clinical trials

Mindfulness to Reduce Loneliness in Older Dementia Caregivers

Start: October 15, 2020
End: July 2022
Enrollment: 63

What Is This Study About?

Research shows that social isolation and loneliness place older dementia caregivers at risk of poor health, including increased inflammation, cardiovascular disease, depression, and shorter lifespan. This study will determine the effectiveness of a mindfulness training program to reduce loneliness and increase social contact in older dementia caregivers. Participants will be randomly assigned to use either a smartphone-based mindfulness training app or a breathing app for 14 days. Researchers will measure changes in participant loneliness and quality of social interactions before and after the intervention. 

Do I Qualify To Participate in This Study?

Minimum Age: 50 Years

Maximum Age: 85 Years

Must have:

  • English speaking
  • Caregiver for a family member with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia
  • Living with or in close proximity to the family member with dementia
  • Elevated caregiving distress with a score higher than 11 on the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale and/or a score of 5 or higher on the Modified Caregiver Strain Index
  • Social disconnection with a score higher than 6 on the UCLA Loneliness Scale
  • Access to email in order to complete the online consent documents

Must NOT have:

  • Current alcohol abuse
  • Current or history of psychiatric conditions
  • Significant cognitive impairment 
  • Already doing mindfulness meditation or a related mind-body practice more than two times per week
  • Person with dementia is living in a nursing facility or other dementia care center

If I Qualify, Who Do I Contact?

Contact study personnel listed either under the general study contact or the location nearest you.

Who Is the General Study Contact?

For more information, email HARP@urmc.rochester.edu, or call (585) 276-6204.

Need Help?

Contact NIA’s Alzheimer’s and related Dementias Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center at 800-438-4380 or email ADEAR.

Where Is This Study Located?

Who Sponsors This Study?

Lead: University of Rochester

Collaborator Sponsor

  • National Institute on Aging

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT04560088

alzheimers.gov

An official website of the U.S. government, managed by the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health