The REMINDER4Care Program for Older Adults Supported by Residential and Daycare Facilities (REMINDER4Care)

Dementia incidence is rising, posing a public health challenge, but 45% of cases can be prevented by addressing modifiable risk factors. Multidomain trials show that lifestyle changes can improve cognitive function and reduce dementia risk (like the FINGER trial). The REMINDER program, a Portuguese-based dementia risk reduction protocol, was developed for community-dwelling older adults aged 55 and above. However, older adults in Residential and Daycare Facilities (RDF) have distinct needs that demand program adaptation to ensure its relevance and effectiveness. In addition, more studies are needed to evaluate the impact of multidomain interventions with older adults in RDF.

To address these challenges, the REMINDER4Care program was developed as a tailored, multidomain intervention to reduce dementia risk. It emphasizes social and cognitive engagement and advances its adaptation and evaluation in Residential and Daycare Facilities (RDF). To assess efficacy, the investigators will perform a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Prevention; Cognitive Health; Dementia Risk Factors
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: REMINDER4Care

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 100
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Catarina L. B. Baptista, PhD Student; Phone Number: +351 963 031 318; Email: catarinalbbaptista23@gmail.com

Study Locations

• Portugal
  • Portugal
    • Coimbra, Portugal, Portugal, 3000-115
      • Recruiting
      • Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences
      • Contact: Catarina L. B. Baptista, PhD student; Phone Number: +351 963 031 318; Email: catarinallbaptista23@gmail.com
      • Principal Investigator: Catarina L. B. Baptista, PhD Student

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Aged 65 years and older
• RDF users
• Elementary reading and writing skills

Exclusion Criteria:

• Have a clinical diagnosis of dementia and/or Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores below the cutoff for the presence of dementia (MMSE < 22-27, depending on education level)
• Have a psychiatric or neurological condition that impairs cognition in the long term
• Have sensory and functional deficits that compromise their participation in the neuropsychological assessment and throughout the intervention sessions

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Sequential Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: REMINDER4Care intervention; In this arm, participants will receive the intervention - REMINDER4Care. REMINDER4Care is a 20-session group program that includes psychoeducation about the brain, social skills training, using cognitive aids, setting personal goals, and practicing mindfulness.	Other: REMINDER4Care; REMINDER4Care was an adapted version of the original REMINDER program, tailored to the characteristics, needs, and interests of older adults in RDF. The REMINDER4Care intervention includes 20 face-to-face group sessions, each approximately 60 to 75 minutes, held twice a week over ten weeks. This program aims to optimize memory, attention, executive function, and emotional regulation while promoting lifestyle habits that protect the aging brain. The sessions include brain health education, cognitive exercises, compensatory memory strategies, training for managing personally relevant goals (with goal setting), and stress management techniques (compassion-based therapies, relaxation methods, and mindfulness). Social support and emotion regulation strategies (like attention management, positive cognitive reappraisal, and reframing speech) were included to address psychosocial risk factors like stress, social isolation, and depression.
No Intervention: Waiting-list group; In this arm, participants will be a waiting-list group and receive the REMINDER4Care interventions after the study ends (after the post-interventions).

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Screening	Participants' sociodemographic (e.g., age, marital status, education level) and clinical (presence of medical diagnosis, current medication, sensory issues, mobility deficits, substance use, and hospitalization).	Screening
Screening	Dementia risk was assessed using the Lifestyle for BRAin health (LIBRA) score, which ranges from -2.1 to 10.6, with higher scores indicating a greater risk of developing dementia.	Screening
Cognitive status	Global cognition was assessed using Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination - Revised (ACE-R), a scale with scores ranging from 0 to 100, where higher scores indicate better cognitive functioning.	Screening and 1-week and 3-months post-intervention
Mood status	Depressive Symptoms: Assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-30), a 30-item scale with scores ranging from 0 to 30, where higher scores indicate greater depressive symptoms.	Screening and 1-week and 3-months post-intervention
Cognitive status	Processing Speed: Evaluated with the Symbol Search subtest of the WAIS-III, scored by correct responses within a time limit, with higher scores representing faster processing speed.	Baseline and 1-week and 3-months post-intervention
Cognitive status	Verbal Initiative: Measured with the Verbal Fluency Test (letters M, R, and alternate category), scored by the number of correct words produced, with higher scores indicating greater verbal initiative.	Baseline and 1-week and 3-months post-intervention
Perceived social isolation and loneliness	Loneliness: Measured with the UCLA Loneliness Scale (UCLA LS-3), the score was 20 to 80, with higher scores reflecting greater perceived loneliness.	Baseline and 1-week and 3-months post-intervention
Perceived social network	Social Networks: Evaluated using Lubben's Brief Social Network Scale (LSNS-6), scored from 0 to 30, where higher scores indicate a stronger social network.	Baseline and 1-week and 3-months post-intervention
Functionality status	Functional abilities: This is measured using the IAFAI (Informant Assessment of Functioning in Aging and Intellectual Disabilities).	Baseline and 1-week and 3-months post-intervention
Perceived quality of life	Psychological Well-Being: Assessed using the EBEP-R is a short version of the Psychological Well-Being Scale. Higher scores on the EBEP-R indicate better psychological well-being.	Baseline and 1-week and 3-months post-intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Coimbra
• Collaborators: Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Catarina L. B. Baptista, PhD Student, University of Coimbra; Study Chair: Ana Rita E. S. Silva, Doctorate, University of Coimbra; Study Chair: Margarida P. Lima, Doctorate, University of Coimbra; Study Chair: Rosa M. Afonso, Doctorate, University of Beira Interior

Publications and helpful links

Helpful Links

• Website REMINDER

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): May 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 31, 2025
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 31, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 9, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): April 10, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 1, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 27, 2026
• Last Verified: April 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Prevention; Aging; Health; Lifestyle; Residential and Daycare Facilities; Dementia Risk Factors
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Mental Disorders; Neurocognitive Disorders; Dementia
• Other Study ID Numbers: RCTREMINDER4Care

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED
• IPD Plan Description: Open science plans will involve sharing IPD with other researchers, clearly anonymized, to promote the study's replication. The investigators are still developing the strategy for data sharing and will update as soon as it is defined.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No