The Social Connection Coaching Project

The Social Connection Coaching Project is a clinical trial funded by the National Institute of Mental Health. The purpose of this study is to test whether an individual coaching program helps adults age 60 and older who live in senior living communities feel more connected to other people in ways that matter to them. Procedures include participating in a coaching program, research assessments with surveys, and assessments completed on a cell phone. The coaching involves individual sessions with a trained Engage Coach (up to 10 sessions) that are designed to help participants improve social relationships and well-being. All subjects will receive the scheduled baseline and follow-up interviews by the research team. These interviews will be conducted at study start, mid-way through the program at 8 weeks and after completing the program at 16 weeks. Interviews will be via Zoom/phone as well as surveys done online. We are asking participants to complete daily assessments via Jitterbug Smartphones to tell us about their activities, mood, and feelings of social connection. We will examine whether daily experiences change as a result of the coaching.

Senior Living Communities in the Rochester area that are connected with the UR Medicine Geriatrics Group will participate.

Our Study Team

• Principal Investigator: Dr. Kim Van Orden
• Co-Investigators: Dr. Patricia Areán, Dr. Ben Chapman, Dr. Yeates Conwell, Dr. Harry Reis, and Dr. Caroline Silva
• Study Coordinators: April Buttaccio, M.P.H., and Ellen Beckwith, B.S.

Contact

HOPE@urmc.rochester.edu or (585) 273-1811

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