'It makes life worthwhile!' Peer mentoring in long-term care-a feasibility study.

Loneliness and depression are of increasing concern in long-term care homes made more urgent by viral outbreak isolation protocols. An innovative program called Java Mentorship was developed that engaged community volunteers and resident volunteers (mentors) as a team. The team met weekly, received education, and provided visits and guidance in pairs to socially disengaged residents (mentees). The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of conducting a larger study. We conducted a mixed-methods pre-post study to evaluate the program. We collected feasibility data associated with the program implementation, including assessment of the sample and ability to recruit; procedures for data collection; retention, program adherence and acceptability; and residents' responses including loneliness, depression, purpose in life, social identity and sense of belonging outcomes. We enrolled community mentors ( = 65), resident mentors ( = 48) staff facilitators ( = 24) and mentees ( = 74) in 10 Canadian sites. Most feasibility objectives were met, and adherence and acceptability were high. Some resource challenges and low retention rates among resident mentors were noted. We found a 29% reduction in depression scores ( = .048;  = .30) and 15% reduction in loneliness scores ( = .014;  = .23). Purpose in life, social identity and sense of belonging were unchanged. Interviews among participants indicated high acceptability and positive perceptions of the program. The study findings reveal a potential role for mentorship as a viable approach to reducing loneliness and depression in long-term care settings and lay the groundwork for future research.