Environmental and Sensory Intervention for Nursing Home Residents With Dementia Who Exhibit Persistent Vocalizations

Launched by DREXEL UNIVERSITY · Aug 21, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is exploring a new way to help nursing home residents with dementia who often make loud vocalizations. The study is called the Environmental And Sensory Experience (EASE), and it involves showing calming nature images and playing soothing nature sounds to the participants. Family members of the residents will help by sharing their loved ones' preferences for nature scenes through a short survey. Participants will wear a watch that tracks their stress levels, and researchers will observe any changes in their vocalizations.

To be eligible for this trial, residents must be at least 65 years old, have a diagnosis of severe dementia, and need a lot of help moving around. Participants should also have a history of making loud sounds, as noted by the nursing home staff. However, residents who are blind, deaf, or unable to understand English will not be included in this study. If you or a loved one qualify, this trial offers a chance to engage in a gentle, nature-based intervention that could potentially improve their experience in a nursing home setting.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • The participants must: 1) have a medical diagnosis of dementia; 2) have severe dementia as determined by a MMSE score of ≤9 (or another cognitive test indicating severe dementia); 3) have a history of PVs per staff report; 4) be 50 years older or greater; 5) require extensive assistance by staff to ambulate or is non-ambulatory (to allow for consistent video recording). In addition, consent will be obtained from the resident's Legally Authorized Representative (LAR) and assent from the participant.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Persons living with dementia will be excluded if they: 1) are blind; 2) are deaf; 3) give indications of dissent. Variations will be sought for gender, race and ethnicity.