LEAPTogether: An Intergenerational Intervention to Address Loneliness and Social Isolation

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Older adult participants will engage in exercise videos twice a week for 8 weeks either while paired with a peer (same age group) or paired with a younger adult with the ability to simultaneously video chat while exercising.

Detailed Description
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Participation in this study includes: Completing assessments at baseline (start of study), 8 weeks, and 16 weeks Initial meeting with an Exercise Physiologist to determine exercise interests and preferences Being matched with an exercise partner Virtually meeting with partner to engage in exercise videos via the FlexTogether platform (meet twice a week for a total of 8 weeks) Attend a live group class once a month Completing an exit interview Primary Objective: To assess feasibility by monitoring adherence to an 8-week virtual paired exercise program for older adults Secondary Objectives: To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components (i.e., older adults together, younger and older adult pairing) within a virtual program necessary to enhance social connectedness, decrease loneliness, improve well-being, and increase physical activity in older adults and younger adult participants in the short-term (pre-post) through surveys and qualitative interviews To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components (i.e., older adults together, younger and older adult pairing) within a virtual program necessary to enhance social connectedness, decrease loneliness, improve well-being, and increase physical activity in older adults and younger adult participants in the long-term (8 weeks post-intervention / 18 weeks on study) through surveys and qualitative interviews

Official Title
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Leveraging Exercise to Age in Place (LEAP) Together: An Intergenerational Intervention to Address Loneliness and Social Isolation

Conditions
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Social Isolation, Loneliness, Intergenerational Relations

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Intergenerational Virtual Paired Exercise
* Behavioral: Peer Virtual Paired Exercise


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Verbal informed consent obtained from subject and ability for subject to comply with the requirements of the study Age 18-30 years for younger adults Age greater than or equal to 65 years for older adults Has access to a tablet, laptop, or desktop computer with video capabilities connected to the internet with a screen at least 13 inches across Able to read, write, and understand English Has a 5 x 6 foot space at home in which to exercise Exclusion Criteria: Current diagnosis of dementia

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Interventional Model Description: Participants will be randomized by the coordinator to a study arm: Arm 1- older adult paired with older adult (40) Arm 2- older adult paired with younger adult (20 older, 20 younger)
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Peer Pairings<br>Two older adults paired | Behavioral: Peer Virtual Paired Exercise<br>* Participants will be paired with someone of the same age group and will engage in exercise videos with the ability to simultaneously video chat with their partner while exercising. Participants will log on with their partner twice a week for 8 weeks.<br>|
| Experimental: Intergenerational Pairings<br>A younger adult and older adult paired | Behavioral: Intergenerational Virtual Paired Exercise<br>* Participants will be paired with someone older/ younger and will engage in exercise videos with the ability to simultaneously video chat with their partner while exercising. Participants will log on with their partner twice a week for 8 weeks.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Adherence to an 8-week virtual paired exercise program for older adults | Adherence defined as attending at least 12 out of 16 sessions (70% attendance) | Attendance over 8-weeks | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| social connectedness per units in scale | To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components (i.e. solo, older adults together, younger and older adult pairing) within a virtual program necessary to enhance social connectedness in the short-term (pre-post) through Duke Social Support Index (min score- 11, max score- 33; higher score indicates higher social support and interaction). | baseline and 10 weeks | 
| pre/post loneliness per units in scale | To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components (i.e. solo, older adults together, younger and older adult pairing) within a virtual program necessary to decrease loneliness in the short-term (pre-post) through UCLA Loneliness Survey (min score- 3, max score- 9; higher scores correspond to higher feelings of loneliness) | baseline and 10 weeks | 
| pre/post emotional, social, and psychological well-being per units in scale | To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components (i.e. solo, older adults together, younger and older adult pairing) within a virtual program necessary to improve well-being in the short-term (pre-post) through Mental Health Continuum Short-Form (min score- 14, max score- 84; higher scores indicate greater levels of positive well-being) | baseline and 10 weeks | 
| pre/post expectations regarding aging per units in scale | To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components (i.e. solo, older adults together, younger and older adult pairing) within a virtual program necessary to improve well-being in the short-term (pre-post) through Expectations Regarding Aging Survey (min score- 12, max score- 48; higher score indicates higher (positive) expectations of aging) | baseline and 10 weeks | 
| pre/post generativity per units in scale | To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components (i.e. solo, older adults together, younger and older adult pairing) within a virtual program necessary to improve well-being in the short-term (pre-post) through Baltimore Experience Corps Trial Generativity Scale (min score- 13, max score- 65; higher score indicates higher levels of generativity) | baseline and 10 weeks | 
| pre/post physical activity per units in scale | To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components (i.e. solo, older adults together, younger and older adult pairing) within a virtual program necessary to increase physical activity in older adults and younger adult participants in the short-term (pre-post) through Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire (min score- 0, max score- 24+; total of 14 or less indicates insufficient activity/sedentary lifestyle, 24 units or more indicates active lifestyle) | baseline and 10 weeks | 
| pre/post physical activity per 30 second sit to stand | To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components (i.e. solo, older adults together, younger and older adult pairing) within a virtual program necessary to increase physical activity in older adults and younger adult participants in the short-term (pre-post) through 30 second sit to stand (how many times can the participant sit and stand without using their hands in a 30 second period, higher number indicates higher level of endurance) | baseline and 10 weeks | 
| long-term social connectedness per units in scale | To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components (i.e. solo, older adults together, younger and older adult pairing) within a virtual program necessary to enhance social connectedness in the long-term (4.5 months/18 weeks) through Duke Social Support Index (min score- 11, max score- 33; higher score indicates higher social support and interaction). | 18 weeks | 
| long-term loneliness per units in scale | To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components (i.e. solo, older adults together, younger and older adult pairing) within a virtual program necessary to decrease loneliness in the long-term (4.5 months/18 weeks) through UCLA Loneliness Survey (min score- 3, max score- 9; higher scores correspond to higher feelings of loneliness) | 18 weeks | 
| long-term expectations regarding aging per units in scale | To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components (i.e. solo, older adults together, younger and older adult pairing) within a virtual program necessary to improve well-being in the long-term (4.5 months/18 weeks) through Expectations Regarding Aging Survey (min score- 12, max score- 48; higher score indicates higher (positive) expectations of aging) | 18 weeks | 
| long-term emotional, social, and psychological well-being per units in scale | To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components (i.e. solo, older adults together, younger and older adult pairing) within a virtual program necessary to improve well-being in the long-term (4.5 months/18 weeks) through Mental Health Continuum Short-Form (min score- 14, max score- 84; higher scores indicate greater levels of positive well-being) | 18 weeks | 
| long-term generativity per units in scale | To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components (i.e. solo, older adults together, younger and older adult pairing) within a virtual program necessary to improve well-being in the long-term (4.5 months/18 weeks) through Baltimore Experience Corps Trial Generativity Scale (min score- 13, max score- 65; higher score indicates higher levels of generativity) | 18 weeks | 
| long-term physical activity per units in scale | To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components within a virtual program necessary to increase physical activity in older adults and younger adult participants in the long-term (4.5 months/18 weeks) through Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire (min score- 0, max score- 24+; total of 14 or less indicates insufficient activity/sedentary lifestyle, 24 units or more indicates active lifestyle) | 18 weeks | 
| long-term physical activity per 30 second sit to stand | To mechanistically investigate the key social pairing components within a virtual program necessary to increase physical activity in older adults and younger adult participants in the long-term (4.5 months/18 weeks) through 30 second sit to stand (how many times can the participant sit and stand without using their hands in a 30 second period, higher number indicates higher level of endurance) | 18 weeks | 
| Key social pairing components in virtual programming | Qualitative interview to capture any other thoughts and observations from participants that are not easily captured in surveys | 10 weeks | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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physical activity, older adults, intergenerational, social isolation, loneliness, virtual exercise