Growing Old at Home

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The purpose of this study is to determine whether preventive home visits for people aged 80 and over are effective in the prevention of nursing home admission in Germany.

Detailed Description
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Regarding demographic changes in Germany it can be assumed that the number of elderly and the resulting need for long term care is increasing in the near future. It is not only an individual's interest but also of public concern to avoid a nursing home admission. Current evidence indicates that preventive home visits can be an effective way to reduce the admission rate in this way making it possible for elderly people to stay longer at home than without home visits. As the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of preventive home visits strongly depends on existing services in the social and health system existing international results cannot be merely transferred to Germany. Therefore it is necessary to investigate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of such an intervention by a randomized controlled trial in Germany.

Official Title
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Growing Old at Home - Effectiveness and Cost-effectiveness of Preventive Home Visits to Reduce Nursing Home Admissions in the Elderly

Conditions
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Aging

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: preventive home visit


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: older than 80 fluent German speaker resident of Leipzig or Halle living at home (i.e. no nursing home resident) Exclusion Criteria: cognitive impairment not able to give informed consent care level higher than 1 according to German long term care insurance

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 80 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: 1<br> | Behavioral: preventive home visit<br>* A multidimensional geriatric assessment within the dimensions: cognition, health related functioning, risk of falling, nutritional status, social situation, economic situation, mood. Two more home visits: (1) home counseling visit 2-3 weeks after assessment (2) booster session 1 month after home counseling visit<br>* Other names: geriatric assessment;|
| No Intervention: 2<br> | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| nursing home admission rate |  | 18 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| health care service utilization and costs |  | 18 months | 
| incremental cost-effectiveness and cost- utility ratio |  | 18 months | 
| health related functioning |  | 18 months | 
| health related quality of life |  | 18 months | 
| prevalence of falls |  | 18 months | 
| time to nursing home admission |  | 18 months | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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randomized controlled trial, public health, Preventive Health Services