Creating Encounters Between Generations - Together Instead of Alone (GemsE)

NCT07581171 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 2025-101662-BO-ff
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 80
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

Elderly people and children and young people (CYP) and from families with mentally ill parents are particularly affected by loneliness. The GemsE project is investigating whether intergenerational mentoring between seniors and children or young people helps to reduce loneliness and improve the mental well-being and quality of life of both groups. The aim of the study is to scientifically record the effect of these sponsorships and to find out how such encounters can be successfully organized.

Conditions

Health-related Quality of Life; Loneliness; Mental Well-being

Keywords

elderly people; children of parents with mental illness; loneliness; psychosocial health; intergenerational tandems

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Loneliness

  The primary clinically relevant parameter of the study is the experience of loneliness among children, adolescents, and seniors, measured using the 6-item short version of the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale.The response options are three-point (yes, more or less, no) from 0-6 with higher scores indicating greater loneliness.

  Change from baseline to 6 months.

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Mental well-being

  Change from baseline to 6 months.

• Health-Related Quality of Life in Adults

  Change from baseline to 6 months.

• Health-Related Quality of Life in Children and Adolescents

  Change from baseline to 6 months.

• Health-Related Quality of Life in Adults (EQ-5D-5L)

  Change from baseline to 6 months

• Health-Related Quality of Life in Children and Adolescents (EQ-5D-Y-5L)

  Change from baseline to 6 months

Study Arms (1)

Establishing intergenerational tandems

EXPERIMENTAL

The intervention focuses on establishing stable mentoring relationships between senior citizens and children or adolescents from families with parents who have mental health issues. The main objectives of this intervention are to build reliable relationships, reduce loneliness, and promote mental well-being and quality of life for both groups. This intervention is coordinated by the project team at GemsE - Creating encounters: Generations in Action - Together Instead of Alone -.

Behavioral: Mechanisms and effectiveness of intergenerational tandems

Interventions

Mechanisms and effectiveness of intergenerational tandems BEHAVIORAL

The project Creating Encounters Between Generations - Together Instead of Alone (German acronym GemsE) aims to provide social support and integration for both groups by establishing tandems between lonely senior citizens and COPMI, and to scientifically evaluate the effectiveness of these tandems. The tandems run for six months, with weekly meetings between senior and CYP. The tandems consist of weekly individual meetings with joint activities such as playing games, learning, cooking, or going for walks. Senior citizens and CYP engage in tandems built on trust, shared experiences, and cooperation, fostering connections that benefit both sides at eye level. Project coordinators accompany the participants and support the process management.

Establishing intergenerational tandems

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 12 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Older adults aged 60 years and older who are residents of Hamburg
• Children and adolescents aged 12 to 21 years with at least one parent with a mental illness and who are residents of Hamburg
• Sufficient German language proficiency
• Ability and willingness to provide informed consent to participate in the study

You may not qualify if:

• Children and adolescents with severe acute psychological symptoms requiring inpatient treatment, including acute suicidality, acute substance use, or acute psychotic symptoms
• Older adults with acute psychological crises or untreated severe mental illness preventing reliable participation
• Older adults with cognitive impairment or dementia preventing reliable participation in the intervention

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf: lead

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Psychological Well-Being

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Personal Satisfaction; Behavior

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Prof. Dr.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 24, 2026
• First Posted: May 12, 2026
• Study Start (Estimated): June 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026
• Last Updated: May 12, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share