Over 5 million older Americans currently suffer from Alzheimer's disease and related dementias with 80% receiving care in the community by 15 million informal caregivers (CGs) providing unpaid care.1 Dementia is associated with high health care costs, long term care (LTC) placement, medical complications, reduced quality of life, and CG burden. Patient and family centric care models tailored to dementia that address the multidimensional aspects of dementia management, and link health and community care are understudied but may represent a promising mechanism to address the multiple and on-going needs of this growing population, reduce adverse outcomes such as premature LTC placement, and produce cost benefits. We propose a definitive Phase III efficacy trial to test Maximizing Independence at Home-Streamlined (MIND-S), a home- based, care coordination intervention for community-living PWD and their informal CGs that builds on pilot work. In a pilot trial, MIND was successfully implemented in a diverse sample of 303 community-living individuals with memory disorders and was found to be acceptable to CGs, led to delays in time to transition from home, improved PWD QOL, and CG time savings.73,78 We now propose a 24-month, prospective, single- blind, parallel group, RCT evaluating MIND-S in a cohort of 300 community-living PWD and their informal CGs in the Greater Baltimore area. Intervention dyads will receive 18 months of care coordination by an interdisciplinary team comprised of trained non-clinical community workers (Interventionists), a psychiatric nurse, and geriatric psychiatrist. The intervention involves 4 key components: identification of needs and individualized care planning (PWD and CG needs); dementia education and skill building; coordination, referral and linkage of services; and care monitoring.
Aim 1 : To determine the efficacy of MIND-S on time to long term care (LTC) placement or death at 18 months and 24 months (6 months post treatment).
Aim 2 : To estimate MIND-S cost and assess whether it results in net financial benefits by conducting a cost-offset analysis taking the societal perspective at 18 months and 24 months (6 months post treatment).
Aim 3 : To determine the efficacy of MIND-S on PWD unmet care needs, neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS), and quality of life (QOL), and on CG unmet needs and burden at 18 and 24 months (6 months post treatment). Exploratory aims: To explore whether the moderators and mediators of the intervention's effect on time to LTC or death. This proposal brings together an internationally and nationally recognized group of researchers with complimentary expertise in community-based dementia care, clinical trials, health economics, and biostatistics. If proven efficacious and cost efficient, the MIND-S model has the potential to change how dementia care services are provided and coordinated at the community level and serve as a national model. It is responsive to the National Alzheimer's Plan Act (Public Law 111-375) calling for development and testing of new comprehensive models of dementia care.

Public Health Relevance

Development and refinement of efficacious dementia management models aimed at improving PWD and CG outcomes, reducing costs, and linking health and community must be a public health priority to care for those affected now and in the future. The proposed study tests the efficacy and cost-offset of the MIND-S care coordination intervention for dementia as a comprehensive, community-level care delivery mechanism. This project will provide information critical for health care decision-makers, at a time both quality ad cost containment in health care are necessary.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
3R01AG046274-04S1
Application #
9632232
Study Section
Program Officer
Mclinden, Kristina
Project Start
2018-04-01
Project End
2019-04-30
Budget Start
2018-04-01
Budget End
2018-04-30
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2018
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Johns Hopkins University
Department
Psychiatry
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
001910777
City
Baltimore
State
MD
Country
United States
Zip Code
21205
Amjad, Halima; Wong, Stephanie K; Roth, David L et al. (2018) Health Services Utilization in Older Adults with Dementia Receiving Care Coordination: The MIND at Home Trial. Health Serv Res 53:556-579
Samus, Quincy M; Black, Betty Smith; Bovenkamp, Diane et al. (2018) Home is where the future is: The BrightFocus Foundation consensus panel on dementia care. Alzheimers Dement 14:104-114
Samus, Quincy M; Davis, Karen; Willink, Amber et al. (2017) Comprehensive home-based care coordination for vulnerable elders with dementia: Maximizing Independence at Home-Plus-Study protocol. Int J Care Coord 20:123-134
Samus, Quincy M; Amjad, Halima; Johnston, Deirdre et al. (2015) A Multipronged, Adaptive Approach for the Recruitment of Diverse Community-Residing Elders with Memory Impairment: The MIND at Home Experience. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 23:698-708
Tanner, Jeremy A; Black, Betty S; Johnston, Deirdre et al. (2015) A randomized controlled trial of a community-based dementia care coordination intervention: effects of MIND at Home on caregiver outcomes. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 23:391-402