Improving Adult Protective Services Client Outcomes: A Stepped-Care Social and Mental Health Engagement Program

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to ascertain the feasibility and effectiveness of an 8-week social engagement program aimed at reducing depression and increasing social engagement among seniors who are transitioning out of Adult Protective Services (APS) for either elder abuse or self-neglect.

Condition

  • Depression in Old Age

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Over 65 Years
Eligible Genders
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Inclusion Criteria

Older Adults - an APS validated EM/SN case - able to provide informed consent - able to speaks English or Spanish, - community-dwelling, - able to hear sufficiently using the telephone - transitioning out of APS intervention (i.e. in the case closure phase of the APS service). Student - college or university student - enrolled at one of the UTHealth graduate programs in Houston, University of Houston, Texas Southern University, Sam Houston State University, or Rice University - commit to making 8-weekly consecutive calls - complete the required 1-hour training and assessment.

Exclusion Criteria

Older Adults - Individuals needing a proxy to consent - suspected or confirmed decision-making capacity impairments or uncontrolled psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia, paranoia, delusion, or delirium - Older adults transitioning to a nursing home, assisted-living, or residential care facility Student -only engaging in the program to fulfill some educational requirement

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention Model
Parallel Assignment
Primary Purpose
Supportive Care
Masking
Single (Outcomes Assessor)

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Experimental
Treatment
  • Behavioral: Stepped-care social and mental health engagement
    Each student will be matched to an older adult and the students will make one call o the older adult which lasts upto 1 hour each week for 8 weeks. Ending each call, the student will assess symptoms of depression anxiety through questionnaires. If the participant responds yes on two consecutive calls to any of these questions, they will be asked if they would like to receive a call from the University of Texas Health Science Center Trauma and Resilience Center to discuss free counseling services.
  • Behavioral: APS Usual care
    Participants will receive a phone call for data collection. Then they will be offered to receive an abbreviated version of the stepped-care social and mental health engagement intervention, lasting only 6-weeks with the option to continue calls if agreeable between the student and older adult.
Active Comparator
Usual Care
  • Behavioral: APS Usual care
    Participants will receive a phone call for data collection. Then they will be offered to receive an abbreviated version of the stepped-care social and mental health engagement intervention, lasting only 6-weeks with the option to continue calls if agreeable between the student and older adult.

Recruiting Locations

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Houston, Texas 77030
Contact:
Jason Burnett, PhD
713-873-4685
Jason.Burnett@uth.tmc.edu

More Details

Status
Recruiting
Sponsor
The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston

Study Contact

Jason Burnett, PhD
(713) 873-4685
Jason.Burnett@uth.tmc.edu