Objectives: The Enriched Opportunities Programme (EOP) is a multi-level intervention focussing on improved quality of life for people with dementia. This study compared the experience of people living with dementia and other mental health problems in extra care housing schemes that utilised EOP with schemes that employed an active control intervention.
Method: Ten extra care housing schemes were cluster randomised to receive either the EOP intervention or an active control intervention for an 18-month period. Residents with dementia or other significant mental health problems (20-30 per scheme) were assessed on a number of outcome measures at baseline, six months, one year and 18 months. The primary outcome measure was quality of life. Self-reported depression was an important secondary outcome.
Results: The EOP-participating residents rated their quality of life more positively over time (4.0 (SE 0.6) units; 14% p < 0.001) than the active control (1.3 (SE 0.6) units; 4% p = 0.003). There was also a significant group-time interaction for depressive symptoms (p = 0.003). The EOP-participating residents reported a reduction of 25% at both six and 12 months and a 37% reduction at 18 months (all p's < 0.001). EOP residents were less likely than residents in the active control sites to move to a care home or to be admitted to a hospital inpatient bed. They were more likely to be seen by a range of community health professionals.
Conclusion: The EOP had a positive impact on the quality of life of people with dementia in well-staffed extra care housing schemes.