Innovation:
This APP is the first of its kind
· Addressed Loneliness, A precursor to other mood disorders
· Understands Loneliness and classifies int0 subtypes to address with specific templates
· This is not a specific treatment model; it incorporates variety of theoretical approaches.
This app is not intended to treat any disorders (this app does not diagnosis, cure, mitigation, prevention, or treat any disease or mental health condition and provides no clinical, medical, or psychiatric advice.)
Approach: We propose a mixed methods study to develop and evaluate the safety, acceptability, feasibility, deliverability, and preliminary effectiveness of digital app.
Aim 1 – Conduct focus groups with pilot users to determine acceptability. Develop conversational model templates and topics-bank in consultation with care providers. Additional app features (e.g. messaging, gamification, cheer squad, events reminders etc) will be scoped with user inputs (Duration 2 weeks)
Milestone – Complete interviews with 10 care providers, 50 clients and 10 client family members and integrate feedback.
Aim 2 – Conduct feasibility and preliminary effectiveness trial. Pilot the app in a senior care center and capture intervention benefits using UCLA loneliness score for six (6) months (Duration 2 months)
Milestone – At the end of two months, Individual loneliness (decrease of (SMD > 0.5) with CI 95% ) and liveliness scores (increase of TBD) will be published.
Long-Term Goal / Significance:
The proposed conversation model can be expanded to include templates for other age groups (e.g. young adults) by incorporating appropriate social features and intervention templates.
We will include additional features in the app like family messaging, event reminder, re-skilling old hobbies, encouragement via cheering squad, and gamification. These features will help patients receive successful interventions by enforcing purpose, value and hope.