Penpal Loneliness Project

Loneliness Clinical Trial

Official title:

Reducing Loneliness With Penpal Connections

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Withdrawn

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT04797026
• Other study ID #: 20-009976
• Status: Withdrawn
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: September 15, 2021
• Est. completion date: March 20, 2022

Study information

• Verified date: December 2021
• Source: Mayo Clinic
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this research is to study whether sending letters helps reduce loneliness for either the facility resident or the teenager.

Description:

Hypothesis: Our hypothesis is that a social program connecting patients in residential care facilities with high school students through monthly letter writing would positively impact quality of life for both, reducing quantitative and qualitiative measures of loneliness

Aims, purpose, or objectives:

Our objective is to reduce loneliness and increase quality of life for patients residing in residential care facilities and for high school students.

Background (Include relevant experience, gaps in current knowledge, preliminary data, etc.):

In response to the Covid pandemic, to protect their residents, residential care facilities have implemented restrictions limiting visitors as well as social activities. Anecdoctally this has negative impacted the quality of life of those residents, increasing their loneliness. Previous studies have shown positive impact of intergenerational programs including penpal programs.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Withdrawn
• Enrollment: 0
• Est. completion date: March 20, 2022
• Est. primary completion date: March 15, 2022
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 15 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Care facility residents with capacity to make decisions:

• Measured via their most recent cognitive assessment;

• Subjectively measured via nursing staff.

• High school students will be invited via recommendation of their instructors and school administrative staff:

• Parental permission will be required.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Care facility residents that have significant cognitive impairment.

• Residents who lack decision-making capacity.

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Loneliness

Intervention

Other:
• Letters to increase social connection with goal to alleviate loneliness
Our hypothesis is that a social program connecting patients in residential care facilities with high school students through monthly letter writing would positively impact quality of life for both, reducing quantitative and qualitiative measures of loneliness

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
n/a

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Mayo Clinic

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Loneliness Alleviation with Letter Writing	Writing letters between Long Term Care Residents and Students: Increasing Connection to Alleviate Loneliness	6 months; may be extended

External Links

•   Mayo Clinic Clinical Trials