Evaluating Novel Healthcare Approaches to Nurturing and Caring for Hospitalized Elders — ENHANCE  

Alzheimer Disease Clinical Trial

Official title: Evaluating Novel Healthcare Approaches to Nurturing and Caring for Hospitalized Elders (ENHANCE)

Status Recruiting

Clinical Trial Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare the Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP) with a family-augmented version of HELP (FAM-HELP), that includes family members and care partners, for the prevention of delirium in older patients during hospital admission. The main objectives of the trial are the following:

1. To compare the effectiveness of FAM-HELP and HELP in reducing both the incidence of delirium and its severity.

2. To compare the effectiveness of FAM-HELP and HELP in improving patient- and family-reported outcomes.

3. To explore the implementation context, process, and outcomes of the FAM-HELP program in diverse hospital settings.

Clinical Trial Description

Delirium is a common complication of hospitalization and major surgery for older adults, and it can lead to loss of independence and substantial healthcare costs. One approach to preventing delirium is through the Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP). HELP personnel work to prevent delirium by providing orienting communication, assisting patients with walking and exercise, providing help with nutrition and fluids, implementing sleep protocols, and helping patients with vision and hearing aids.

However, it is unknown whether involving family members in these activities along with HELP staff (i.e., "FAM-HELP") might be more effective with preventing delirium. The objective of this clinical trial is thus to compare the traditional HELP program with a family-augmented version of HELP (FAM-HELP) to determine which program is more effective with preventing delirium and related complications in older, hospitalized patients. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Aging
• Alzheimer Disease
• Caregiver Burden
• Cognitive Dysfunction
• Delirium
• Family Members
• Implementation Science
• Mild Cognitive Impairment
• Neurocognitive Disorders
• Patient Satisfaction

• NCT number: NCT05929703
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: University of Michigan
• Contact: Eva Schmitt, PhD
• Phone: 617-971-5390
• Email: EvaSchmitt@hsl.harvard.edu
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: December 4, 2023
• Completion date: August 2027