THEMATIC ANALYSIS OF HOME ALONE - An Intervention for Older Adults Living Alone with Memory Impairment

Sep 29, 2026

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Older adults who live alone with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or subjective memory impairment (SMI) face elevated risks of loneliness, safety concerns, and physical and mental health challenges. The Home Alone program, a novel psychoeducational intervention, delivers home safety education and Behavioral Activation across seven sessions via in-home visits or telehealth. Thematic analysis of qualitative interviews and open-response survey items from 65 participants shows improved awareness, engagement in socialization and meaningful activity, greater resource use, and home safety modifications, informing future dissemination.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Study Background

Intervention Design and Delivery

Participant Enrollment and Data Collection

Thematic Analysis Findings

Implications and Future Work

838 Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 Joseph Gaugler2, 1. University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 2. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 3. Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 4. Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire, United States, 5. Memory Care Home Solutions, St. Louis, Missouri, United States Older adults who live alone with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or subjective memory impairment (SMI) are at greater risk for loneliness, safety concerns, and physical and mental health concerns. These risks can lead to an increased need for support, supervision, and potentially residential care. Interventions are needed to reduce the risk of isolation and adverse health outcomes for older adults with MCI or SMI. Home Alone, a novel psychoeducational program, includes home safety education and utilizes Behavioral Activation to improve socialization and engagement among older adults with MCI or SMI who live alone. The seven-session intervention is delivered by a trained coach visiting the participant’s home or via telehealth. Session foci include home safety, resource provision, motivational strategies, memory aids, and an in-depth exploration of personal values, followed by identification and scheduling of values-aligned activities. Sixty-five participants enrolled across Phase I (feasibility study, n = 15) and Phase II (pilot test of revised Home Alone intervention, n = 50) of the Home Alone study. Qualitative data were collected from participants via semi-structured interviews and open-response items on two sequential follow-up surveys. Thematic analysis revealed how the Home Alone program raised awareness and influenced engagement in socialization and meaningful activity, increased utilization of resources and daily living strategies, and prompted home safety modifications. Analyses provided nuanced insights into Home Alone’s impacts on participant well-being while shedding light on ‘program fit’and participant concerns for the future. These findings will inform subsequent Home Alone analyses and eventual dissemination of the intervention to community settings. Abstract citation ID: igaf122.2841 THEMATIC ANALYSIS OF HOME ALONE: AN INTERVENTION FOR OLDER ADULTS LIVING ALONE WITH MEMORY IMPAIRMENT Grace Savard1, Robyn Birkeland2, Amy Hobday2, Stephanie Ingvalson2, Laura Gitlin3, Renee Pepin4, Jill Cigliana5, and

FAQs

What problem does the Home Alone intervention target for older adults with MCI or SMI?

It targets increased loneliness, safety concerns, and physical and mental health challenges that arise when older adults live alone with mild cognitive impairment or subjective memory impairment.

How is the Home Alone program delivered?

It is delivered as a seven-session intervention by a trained coach visiting the participant’s home or through telehealth.

What did the thematic analysis reveal about the program’s effects?

The analysis found that Home Alone raised awareness, improved engagement in socialization and meaningful activity, increased use of resources and daily living strategies, and prompted home safety modifications.

Sep 29, 2026

Upload by Fahsai