AGE SELF CARE: Promoting Healthy Aging Through a Group Visit Program

NCT ID: NCT06079762

Last Updated: 2024-08-06

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 11 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2023-10-01
• Study Completion Date: 2024-08-05

Brief Summary

Aim 1: To assess the feasibility and acceptability of delivering AGE SELF CARE through virtual medical group visits by measuring recruitment rate, adherence, and participant satisfaction.

Hypothesis 1: It will be feasible to recruit 12 older adults who are pre-frail. Hypothesis 2: At least 70% of participants will attend 6 of 8 group visit sessions.

Hypothesis 3: At least 70% of participants will report satisfaction with the program.

Aim 2: Determine the feasibility and burden of measuring frailty in this study by different instruments.

Hypothesis 1: At least 70% of participants will complete portions of all frailty assessments.

Hypothesis 2: Participants will not find testing to be burdensome and measures may be completed in 60 minutes or less.

Hypothesis 3: Mean gait speed and frailty index will improve from baseline to post-intervention.

Detailed Description

Study Design: pilot study

Setting: BWH Osher Clinical Center for Integrative Medicine, or "OCC", is a collaboration between BWH and Harvard Medical School (HMS), focused on enhancing human health, resilience, and quality of life through translational research, clinical practice, and education in integrative medicine. The OCC is comprised of an interdisciplinary team of physicians, chiropractors, acupuncturists, massage therapists, coaches, nutritionists, craniosacral therapists, and other practitioners who treat patients with a variety of conditions. Patients across New England regularly access the OCC through self-referral or referral from primary care or subspecialty practices.

Participants: Community-dwelling adults aged 65 years and older who are pre-frail (based on FRAIL) during the initial study visit (n=12).

Intervention: AGE SELF CARE consists of 8 weekly 90-minute virtual group visits, with approximately 12 participants in each group. Sessions focus on chronic disease management; healthy lifestyle education, including nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress management, and socialization; home adaptation to optimize the home environment for usability and safety with aging; and anticipatory guidance. Educational materials include a library of handouts and pre-recorded videos from interdisciplinary team members about a topic. The group applies learning to their own lives, develops personal goals, and reports back about brief home activities or practices.

Sessions will be modified and targeted toward frailty prevention according to existing data and published guidelines. For example, the Mediterranean diet will be discussed as a nutritional approach that can reduce frailty progression. Physical activity guidelines will focus on resistance training to simulate daily activities, power training, balance exercise, and mind-body movement. Finally, sessions will include information on home safety modification and polypharmacy.

Conditions

Frailty; Aging; Frailty Syndrome; Frail Elderly Syndrome

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

AGE SELF CARE group visit program

Participants will take part in 8 weekly 90-minute virtual group visit program sessions

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

AGE SELF CARE group visit program

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

AGE SELF CARE: "Adaptation, Growth, and Engagement; Socialization, Empowerment, Learning, and Function; and Community Activation for Resilience in Elderhood," is a virtual group visit program. It includes education and behavioral change elements in the broad areas of self/health, home environment, and community. There are 8 weekly 90-minute virtual sessions facilitated by an aging expert (e.g., geriatrician). Examples of topics include "Aging Well: The Power of Movement," "People Can Change, Homes Can Too," and "Social World."

Interventions

AGE SELF CARE group visit program

AGE SELF CARE: "Adaptation, Growth, and Engagement; Socialization, Empowerment, Learning, and Function; and Community Activation for Resilience in Elderhood," is a virtual group visit program. It includes education and behavioral change elements in the broad areas of self/health, home environment, and community. There are 8 weekly 90-minute virtual sessions facilitated by an aging expert (e.g., geriatrician). Examples of topics include "Aging Well: The Power of Movement," "People Can Change, Homes Can Too," and "Social World."

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

1. Community-dwelling adults age 65+.

2. Pre-frail (1-2 points on FRAIL scale) during pre-screening.

3. Agree to participate and commit to all study procedures.

4. Able to speak English.

5. Access to and ability to use a smartphone, tablet, or computer and broadband internet.

Exclusion Criteria

1. Younger than age 65.

2. Robust (0 points) or frail (3+ points) on FRAIL scale during phone screening.

3. Established diagnosis of dementia.

4. Untreated psychiatric symptoms affecting group participation.

5. Hearing or visual impairment affecting participation in a virtual program.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 65 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 110 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Brigham and Women's Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Julia Loewenthal

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Julia Loewenthal, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Brigham and Women's Hospital

Locations

Brigham and Women's Hospital

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

2023P001407

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id