NCT05143255

Developing a Communication Intervention for People With Memory Challenges and Their Care Partners

Developing a Communication Intervention to Help People With Memory Challenges and Their Care Partners Engage in Advance Care Planning

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 38 (actual)
• Sponsor: Weill Medical College of Cornell University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The proposed research is consistent with broader public health goals focused on improving communication regarding end-of-life care and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) call for increased patient engagement in advance care planning (ACP) as part of standard care. The proposed study will address this public health issue by developing a communication-based intervention designed to improve Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) patients' and care partners' engagement in ACP, distress and care partner burden, and completion of advance directives and receipt of goal-concordant care at the end-of-life. Therefore, this study is aligned with the National Institute on Aging's long-term goal to improve the quality of care for ADRD patients and CMS's goal to increase engagement in ACP.

Detailed description

The goals of this study are to: (1) develop a communication-based intervention, called KNow the Optimal Way (KNOW) for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) patients and care partners that includes theoretically grounded communication strategies (e.g., acknowledgment, validation of fears) and distress management techniques (e.g., deep breathing, muscle relaxation); (2) evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention; and (3) test the preliminary efficacy of the intervention on ADRD patients' and care partners' preparedness for and engagement in advance care planning (ACP), and completion of advance directives (primary outcomes) as well as patient-care partner concordance on the person with dementia (PWD)'s healthcare values, perceived need for ACP, psychological distress, communication quality, and care partner burden (secondary outcomes).

Conditions

• Alzheimer Disease
• Dementia

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	KNOW	KNow the Optimal Way (KNOW) is a manualized ADRD patient-care partner intervention designed to increase engagement in advance care planning (ACP) and completion of advance directives among early stage ADRD patients and their care partners using theoretically grounded distress tolerance techniques (inhibitory learning theory) and communication skills (cognitive-social processing theory) consistent with recommended guidelines for discussions about ACP in ADRD care.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-12-09
• Primary completion: 2026-02-05
• Completion: 2026-02-05
• First posted: 2021-12-03
• Last updated: 2026-03-25

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States