Clinical trial NCT05825404: Smart Lighting for Nursing Home Residents With Dementia
Official title: The Effect of Smart Ambient Bright Light for Nursing Home Residents With Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias
Lead sponsor: Penn State University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2023-04-24
Enrollment: 29
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 55
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: CROSSOVER
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: This proposed study seeks to develop a smart ambient bright light (SABL) intervention to provide auto-controlled, consistent indoor lighting that incorporates natural daylight. This SABL includes tunable LED lights, photosensors, and controllers. The SABL system has a pre-programmed 24-hour control schedule for illuminance settings to mimic the natural bright-dark cycle. It will automatically adjust the lights to accommodate the daylight effect to minimize staff burden and maximize the LI effect. The SABL will be installed in participants' bedrooms and designated areas in the dining rooms and activity rooms for four weeks. Each participant will wear a personal light monitor to measure the lighting dosage each participant receives. This study will address three aims: 1) pilot test the effect of SABL on reducing agitation in persons with ADRD, 2) evaluate the fidelity of the SABL delivery, and 3) evaluate the feasibility of implementing the SABL. The study will be conducted in two NHs in Pennsylvania. For aims 1 and 2, the investigators will use a crossover, cluster randomized control trial (RCT) and will enroll residents with ADRD and agitation. For aim 3, the investigators will use a mixed methods design and will interview NH stakeholders to evaluate the acceptability, feasibility, and appropriateness of the intervention. This is the first study that incorporates daylight in ambient light interventions and the first study that addresses the measurement, feasibility, and fidelity of lighting interventions. Findings will establish evidence-based implementation strategies and the best design for SABL to reduce agitation for persons with ADRD in NHs.

Detailed description: Up to 90% of people with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) experience at least one behavioral and psychological symptom of dementia (BPSD). Agitation is among the most common and challenging BPSD, especially in nursing home (NH) residents with ADRD. Thus, identifying an effective, non-pharmacological intervention to reduce agitation and other BPSDs is critical. Lighting is important for people with ADRD, especially those living in NHs, as they are not exposed to sufficient daylight. Lighting interventions (LIs) work to regulate suprachiasmatic nuclei, maintain a stable circadian rhythm and reduce agitation. LIs are not invasive and have minimal adverse effects, making them ideal interventions for persons with ADRD. Evidence has reported that LIs show improvement in agitation and other BPSDs for persons with ADRD. However, LIs have not been widely implemented in "real world" care settings. Traditional methods using light boxes that required persons with ADRD to sit and keep their eyes oriented toward a bright light led to compliance and workload issues. A more efficient approach to delivering LIs is necessary. Interest has arisen in designing NHs with the capability of providing LIs via ambient LIs. While a few studies have reported positive effects of ambient LIs on agitation, these studies were conducted in settings with window shades closed to minimize daylight. To establish ambient lighting as a feasible and effective intervention, a few fundamental gaps need to be addressed: 1) a feasible implementation approach to ambient LIs, and 2) intervention fidelity (ensuring the lighting received by participants meets the targets). This proposed study seeks to develop a smart ambient bright light (SABL) intervention to provide auto-controlled, consistent indoor lighting that incorporates natural daylight. This SABL includes tunable LED lights, photosensors, and controllers. The SABL system has a pre-programmed 24-hour control schedule for illuminance settings to mimic the natural bright-dark cycle. It will automatically adjust the lights to accommodate the daylight effect to minimize staff burden and maximize the LI effect. The SABL will be installed in participants' bedrooms and designated areas in the dining rooms and activity rooms for four weeks. Each participant will wear a personal light monitor to measure the lighting dosage each participant receives. This study will address three aims: 1) pilot test the effect of SABL on reducing agitation in persons with ADRD, 2) evaluate the fidelity of the SABL delivery, and 3) evaluate the feasibility of implementing the SABL. The study will be conducted in two NHs in Pennsylvania. For aims 1 and 2, the investigators will use a crossover, cluster randomized control trial (RCT) and will enroll residents with ADRD and agitation. For aim 3, the investigators will use a mixed methods design and will interview NH stakeholders to evaluate the acceptability, feasibility, and appropriateness of the intervention. This is the first study that incorporates daylight in ambient light interventions and the first study that addresses the measurement, feasibility, and fidelity of lighting interventions. Findings will establish evidence-based implementation strategies and the best design for SABL to reduce agitation for persons with ADRD in NHs.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Age≥55
* English speaking
* Nursing home residency≥3 months
* Clinical Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease and related dementia
* Presence of agitation over the past week

Exclusion Criteria:

* Major sleep problems
* Major mental illness
* Severe vision impairment
* Severe acute or terminal illness

Primary outcomes:
measure: Change in light level: Lux at the facility level
timeFrame: Twice a week for 13 weeks
measure: Change in light level: CS at the facility level
timeFrame: Twice a week for 13 weeks
measure: Change in light level: Lux at the individual level
timeFrame: Weeks 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13
measure: Change in light level: CS at the individual level
timeFrame: Weeks 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13
measure: Change in agitation
timeFrame: Weeks 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13
measure: Intervention acceptability
timeFrame: Week 13
measure: Intervention feasibility
timeFrame: Week 13
measure: Intervention appropriateness
timeFrame: Week 13
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD)
timeFrame: Weeks 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13
measure: Affect
timeFrame: Weeks 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13
measure: Adverse effects.
timeFrame: Weeks 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Belleville
country: United States
facility: Valley View Retirement Community
state: Pennsylvania
city: DuBois
country: United States
facility: Christ the King Manor
state: Pennsylvania
Study officials:
affiliation: Penn State University
name: Ying-Ling Jao, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Figueiro MG, Plitnick B, Roohan C, Sahin L, Kalsher M, Rea MS. Effects of a Tailored Lighting Intervention on Sleep Quality, Rest-Activity, Mood, and Behavior in Older Adults With Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias: A Randomized Clinical Trial. J Clin Sleep Med. 2019 Dec 15;15(12):1757-1767. doi: 10.5664/jcsm.8078. Epub 2019 Nov 8.
citation: Figueiro MG, Hunter CM, Higgins P, Hornick T, Jones GE, Plitnick B, Brons J, Rea MS. Tailored Lighting Intervention for Persons with Dementia and Caregivers Living at Home. Sleep Health. 2015 Dec 1;1(4):322-330. doi: 10.1016/j.sleh.2015.09.003.
citation: Jao YL, Wang J, Liao YJ, Parajuli J, Berish D, Boltz M, Van Haitsma K, Wang N, McNally L, Calkins M. Effect of Ambient Bright Light on Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms in People With Dementia: A Systematic Review. Innov Aging. 2022 Mar 24;6(3):igac018. doi: 10.1093/geroni/igac018. eCollection 2022.