Social Connections and Healthy Aging (The Senior Connection)
| Status: | Active, not recruiting |
|---|---|
| Conditions: | Depression |
| Therapuetic Areas: | Psychiatry / Psychology |
| Healthy: | No |
| Age Range: | 60 - Any |
| Updated: | 4/21/2016 |
| Start Date: | March 2011 |
| End Date: | September 2016 |
This randomized trial compares peer companionship to care-as-usual in primary care on the
outcome of risk for suicidal behavior in late life. The investigators hypothesize that older
adults assigned to receive peer companionship will report greater social connectedness and
less death and suicidal ideation compared to older adults assigned to care as usual.
outcome of risk for suicidal behavior in late life. The investigators hypothesize that older
adults assigned to receive peer companionship will report greater social connectedness and
less death and suicidal ideation compared to older adults assigned to care as usual.
There is a pressing need for interventions that reduce risk for suicide in later life. Older
adults in the U.S. have the highest rate of suicide and are the fastest growing segment of
the population. The investigators can anticipate a large rise in the number of older adults
who die by suicide in coming decades. This application is in response to RFA-CE-10-006.
Consistent with the CDC's key strategy of reducing suicide by promoting connectedness, our
long-term goal is to reduce late life suicide-related morbidity and mortality by leveraging
the resources and expertise of the aging services provider network (ASPN) to address unmet
social needs of community-dwelling older adults. Our objectives with this proposal are (1)
to examine whether linking socially disconnected seniors with peer supports through the
Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) is effective in reducing risk for suicide, and
(2) to test an hypothesized mechanism for the association of social disconnectedness and
suicidal ideation and behavior informed by the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide.
The investigators will recruit 400 primary care patients (200 men and 200 women) over age 60
years who endorse feeling lonely and/or as if they are a burden on others. They will be
randomly assigned to either of two conditions. Those assigned to The Senior Connection (TSC)
will either be paired with a peer companion or, if they prefer and are eligible, be trained
and placed as a peer companion for others by RSVP. The comparison group will receive no
further intervention ("care-as-usual" [CAU]). Subjects will be followed for up to 24 months
with repeated in-home (baseline, 12, and 24 months) and telephone assessments (3, 6, and 18
months).
adults in the U.S. have the highest rate of suicide and are the fastest growing segment of
the population. The investigators can anticipate a large rise in the number of older adults
who die by suicide in coming decades. This application is in response to RFA-CE-10-006.
Consistent with the CDC's key strategy of reducing suicide by promoting connectedness, our
long-term goal is to reduce late life suicide-related morbidity and mortality by leveraging
the resources and expertise of the aging services provider network (ASPN) to address unmet
social needs of community-dwelling older adults. Our objectives with this proposal are (1)
to examine whether linking socially disconnected seniors with peer supports through the
Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) is effective in reducing risk for suicide, and
(2) to test an hypothesized mechanism for the association of social disconnectedness and
suicidal ideation and behavior informed by the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide.
The investigators will recruit 400 primary care patients (200 men and 200 women) over age 60
years who endorse feeling lonely and/or as if they are a burden on others. They will be
randomly assigned to either of two conditions. Those assigned to The Senior Connection (TSC)
will either be paired with a peer companion or, if they prefer and are eligible, be trained
and placed as a peer companion for others by RSVP. The comparison group will receive no
further intervention ("care-as-usual" [CAU]). Subjects will be followed for up to 24 months
with repeated in-home (baseline, 12, and 24 months) and telephone assessments (3, 6, and 18
months).
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age 60 or older
- Primary Care Patient
- Endorses feeling lonely and/or like a burden in the the past two weeks
Exclusion Criteria:
- Positive dementia screen
- Current alcohol abuse
- Psychosis
- Suicidal ideation with intent to act (current or past month.)
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