Improving Cognition of Older Adults in Community Housing

Launched by CENTRE FOR ADDICTION AND MENTAL HEALTH · Jun 27, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

The I-COACH study is a clinical trial designed to help older adults living in community housing who have mental health conditions. The focus is on improving their thinking skills through a special program that combines cognitive training with social and physical activities. Over 12 weeks, small groups of six participants will work together with a Personal Support Worker (PSW) to participate in this program, which will be adjusted based on their feedback to make it as helpful and enjoyable as possible. The goal is to empower these PSWs to deliver the program effectively, helping seniors maintain their independence and continue living in their homes.

To be eligible for this study, participants should be 50 years or older, have a stable mental health condition, and be willing to speak English. They should not have had a psychiatric hospital stay recently or any major changes in their medication before joining the trial. Participants can expect to engage in various activities that aim to boost their cognitive skills while also enjoying social interactions with their peers. This study is currently recruiting participants, and it’s a great opportunity for seniors looking to enhance their mental well-being while staying connected with their community.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Age 50 years and above. The rationale of age cutoff of 50 is that this age is considered a typical geriatric age cutoff especially for people with severe mental illness
• • 2. Any race or ethnicity
• • 3. Any gender identity
• • 4. Meets DSM-V criteria for any disorder
• • 5. Clinically stable as operationalized by (1) having not been admitted to a psychiatric hospital within the 3 months prior to assessment, (2) having had no change in psychotropic medication dosage within the 4 weeks prior to assessment, and (3) ascertained to be clinically and medically stable by one the study psychiatrists.
• • 6. Willingness and ability to speak English
• • 7. Willingness to provide informed consent or assent as applicable.
• • 8. Corrected visual ability that enables reading of newspaper headlines and corrected hearing capacity that is adequate to respond to a raised conversational voice. Both vision and hearing ability will be assessed by asking the participant if they can see the text and hear the research personnel during the screening consent and enrolment process.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Meets diagnostic criteria for active substance use or dependence within the 6 months prior to the initial assessment except for caffeine or nicotine
• • 2. Has profound cognitive impairment that, in the opinion of the PI, precludes benefit from CR and therefore study participation.