Evaluating Connecting Today A Remote Video Visiting Program to Improve Life and Reduce Loneliness for Care Home Residents with Dementia

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating Connecting Today, a remote visiting program designed to help care home residents living with moderate to severe dementia connect with family members, friends, or care partners through video calls. This study aims to assess the feasibility of this program in care homes across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario. It will examine how Connecting Today impacts residents quality of life, loneliness, and responsive behaviors, as well as similar outcomes for their remote visitors. Participants include 80 residents with dementia and their remote visitors. Each participant will receive up to 60 minutes of facilitated video calls per week for six weeks. The study uses a randomized wait-list control design where one group receives the intervention initially, while the control group receives it after a delay. An onsite care provider will be trained to support and tailor these video calls to encourage positive engagement. During the study, researchers will collect outcome data through telephone interviews at three time points before the intervention, after six weeks of intervention for the first group, and after six weeks of intervention for the control group. Assessments include measures of quality of life, loneliness, social support, and agitation for both residents and their visitors. The research team will also monitor recruitment, retention, intervention delivery, and participant experiences throughout the trial, which will run from June to September 2026.

Connecting Today to Combat Social Isolation and Loneliness