Tailoring OT and RD Services for Home-delivered Meal Clients

NCT ID: NCT06059404

Last Updated: 2025-04-03

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: PHASE1
• Total Enrollment: 56 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2023-09-20
• Study Completion Date: 2024-07-31

Brief Summary

This is a single-blinded, four-arm randomized controlled trial that will compare health outcomes of home-delivered meal clients. The purpose of this pilot study is to explore which service model is most effective for improving nutritional status, disease management, fall risk, and adherence to meal recommendations. Participants will be randomized into one of four study arms: In Arm 1: clients will receive home-delivered meals and basic nutrition education and fall prevention education. In Arm 2: clients will receive home-delivered meals plus dietitian services. In Arm 3: clients will receive home-delivered meals plus occupational therapy services. In Arm 4: clients will receive home-delivered meals plus dietitian and occupational therapy services. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and at 3-month follow-up.

Detailed Description

Participants will be randomized into one of four study arms: ARM 1 - Meals only: Participants randomized to receive "meals only" will receive 14 frozen meals, delivered 1x/week, for 3-months. Participants will be provided with a menu of 40 meal options and instructions for how to select their meals and change weekly meal selections (if desired). Participants in this arm will also receive nutrition education and fall prevention education via standard handouts. Nutrition education handouts will indicate which of LifeCare Alliance's meals are considered to be "heart healthy" as well as "diabetic-friendly." Participants will have the autonomy to select their own meals according to their preferences and their ability to self-manage their own health conditions (e.g., diabetes, cardiovascular disease). Fall prevention education handouts will provide guidance on how to reduce fall risk at home and modify the home environment to eliminate fall hazards. ARM 2 - Meals + registered dietitian services: Participants randomized to receive "meals + RD only" will receive 14 frozen meals, delivered 1x/week, for 3-months. In addition to receiving nutrition education and fall prevention handouts, participants in this arm will have a telephone-based nutrition assessment completed by one of LifeCare Alliance's registered dietitians who will assign participants a nutrition diagnosis (e.g., overconsumption of carbohydrates) within 60 days of study enrollment. During the same phone call, the registered dietitian will also assist participants with their initial meal selections and encourage participants to contact the dietitian with follow-up questions or concerns via phone. Participants will be able to make weekly meal selections based on an approved menu of meals tailored (by a dietitian) to the health needs of the participant. Additionally, dietitians will initiate at least one follow-up phone call no later than 45 days after the nutrition assessment is completed. ARM 3 - Meals + occupational therapy services: Participants randomized to this arm will receive 14 frozen meals, delivered 1x/week, for 3-months and be able to make weekly meal selections from LifeCare Alliance's full list of 40 meals. In addition to receiving nutrition education and fall prevention handouts, participants in this arm will be contacted (within 30 days of study enrollment) by one of Lifecare Alliance's occupational therapists to complete a phone screen to determine each participant's occupational therapy needs (e.g., home safety/fall risk hazards, need for durable medical equipment). Within 30 days after the phone screen, the occupational therapist will then complete an in-home assessment with the participant and provide any initial interventions, equipment, exercises, education as indicated. Within 45 days of the in-home assessment/treatment encounter, the OT will complete an in-home OR phone-based (at the OT's discretion) follow-up session to determine participants' adherence to fall prevention recommendations. All participants randomized to this arm will also be encouraged to call the occupational therapist with questions or concerns over the 3-month study period. ARM 4 - Meals + registered dietitian services + occupational therapy services: Participants in this arm will receive 14 frozen meals, delivered 1x/week, for 3-months as well as the same nutrition education and fall prevention handouts as provided in Arms 1-3. Additionally, participants will receive the combination of dietitian and OT services as provided in Arms 2 and 3 and have the same autonomy to make their own weekly meal selections from a curated list provided by the dietitian.

Conditions

Diet, Food, and Nutrition; Accidental Fall; Diabetes Mellitus; Heart Diseases

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: FACTORIAL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Meals only

ARM 1: Meals only. Participants randomized to receive "meals only" will receive 14 frozen meals, delivered 1x/week, for 3-months. Participants will be provided with a menu of 40 meal options and instructions for how to select their meals and change weekly meal selections (if desired). Participants in this arm will also receive nutrition education and fall prevention handouts. Nutrition education handouts will indicate which of LifeCare Alliance's meals are considered to be "heart healthy" as well as "diabetic-friendly." Participants will have the autonomy to select their own meals according to their preferences and their ability to self-manage their own health conditions (e.g., diabetes, cardiovascular disease). Fall prevention education handouts will provide guidance on how to reduce fall risk at home and modify the home environment to eliminate fall hazards.

Group Type: NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Meals + registered dietitian services

ARM 2: Meals + registered dietitian services. Participants randomized to receive "meals + RD only" will receive 14 frozen meals, delivered 1x/week, for 3-months. In addition to receiving nutrition education and fall prevention handouts, participants in this arm will have a telephone-based nutrition assessment completed by one of LifeCare Alliance's registered dietitians who will assign participants a nutrition diagnosis (e.g., overconsumption of carbohydrates) within 60 days of study enrollment.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Meals + RD services only

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Registered dietitians (RD) will provide tailored dietitian counseling and nutrition education

Meals + occupational therapy services

ARM 3: Meals + occupational therapy services. Participants randomized to this arm will receive 14 frozen meals, delivered 1x/week, for 3-months and be able to make weekly meal selections from LifeCare Alliance's full list of 40 meals. In addition to receiving nutrition education and fall prevention handouts, participants in this arm will be contacted (within 30 days of study enrollment) by one of Lifecare Alliance's occupational therapists to complete a phone screen to determine each participant's occupational therapy needs (e.g., home safety/fall risk hazards, need for durable medical equipment).

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Meals + OT services only

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Occupational therapists (OT) will provide tailored home safety recommendations and fall prevention education/strategies

Meals + registered dietitian + occupational therapy services

ARM 4: Meals + registered dietitian services + occupational therapy services. Participants in this arm will receive 14 frozen meals, delivered 1x/week, for 3-months as well as the same nutrition education and fall prevention handouts as provided in Arms 1-3. Additionally, participants will receive the combination of dietitian and OT services as provided in Arms 2 and 3 and have the same autonomy to make their own weekly meal selections from a curated list provided by the dietitian.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Meals + RD + OT services

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

A combination of tailored registered dietitian and occupational therapy services will be provided

Interventions

Meals + RD services only

Registered dietitians (RD) will provide tailored dietitian counseling and nutrition education

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Meals + OT services only

Occupational therapists (OT) will provide tailored home safety recommendations and fall prevention education/strategies

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Meals + RD + OT services

A combination of tailored registered dietitian and occupational therapy services will be provided

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

1. Self-reported diagnosis of cardiovascular disease (cardiovascular disease may include: hypertension, high cholesterol, congestive heart failure, heart attack or myocardial infarction, peripheral artery disease, stent placement, coronary artery disease, coronary artery bypass graft) or diabetes

2. Over 60 years of age

3. Has one of the following fall risk factors: Uses an assistive mobility device (cane, walker, or wheelchair); Has a fear of falling; Has fallen in the past 12 months; Feels unsteady when standing or walking;

4. Able to store 14 frozen meals/week;

5. Able to reheat meals

Exclusion Criteria

1. Individuals already receiving home-delivered meals from LifeCare Alliance or other meal agency (within past 6-months)

2. Individuals residing in residential care or a skilled nursing facility

• Minimum Eligible Age: 60 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

LifeCare Alliance

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Ohio State University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Lisa Juckett

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

LifeCare Alliance

Columbus, Ohio, United States

Countries

United States

References

Juckett LA, Joshi S, Hyer JM, Hariharan G, Thomas KS, Sathya TS, Howard ML, Bunck LE, Rowe ML, Devier A, Parrett K; LifeCare Alliance SixtyPLUS Team. Occupational therapy and registered dietitian services to reduce fall risk among home delivered meal clients: a randomized controlled feasibility trial. BMC Geriatr. 2025 May 10;25(1):325. doi: 10.1186/s12877-025-06008-2.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 40348980 (View on PubMed)

Juckett LA, Joshi S, Hyer JM, Hariharan G, Thomas KS, Sathya TS, Howard ML, Bunck LE, Rowe ML, Devier A, Parrett K; LifeCare Alliance SixtyPLUS Team. Tailoring registered dietitian and occupational therapy services for home-delivered meal recipients: feasibility study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Pilot Feasibility Stud. 2025 Apr 5;11(1):41. doi: 10.1186/s40814-025-01623-7.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 40188322 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

2023H0248

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id