Bring Communities and Technology Together for Healthy Aging

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Technology has been created to help older adults age well in their homes, but adoption and acceptance have been slow. The researchers are developing a low-cost web-based technology, called Elder Tree, for older adults and caregivers to address key challenges older adults face, such as loneliness and isolation, falls, loss of driving privileges, relapsing from proven falls prevention strategies, and unreliable home services. Elder Tree is being developed and tested with older adults and caregivers to identify, 1) usability issues such as font size, navigation and interface (audio, video,text) and 2) content and tailoring issues such as identifying local resources and events. This study will employ a randomized longitudinal design comparing a control group to an intervention group over a 12-month period. Investigators hypothesize that older adults using Elder Tree will experience greater independence and quality of life when compared to the control group. Investigators will use quantitative measures to determine how much our intervention improves: quality of life and health system use. These measures will help us to determine the cost effectiveness of Elder Tree. Investigators will recruit and test Elder Tree in 3 Regional Aging and Disability Resource Centers; one urban, one suburban and one rural setting, so to account for environmental and community differences. The older adult and their caregiver will be randomized to the same treatment group. Investigators will measure the effect over the 12 month intervention period and a 6 month follow-up period at 18 months.

Official Title
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Bring Communities and Technology Together for Healthy Aging

Conditions
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65 Years Older, Requires IADL Support, Past Year History of Falls and/or Hospitalization

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Elder Tree website


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: 65 years or older In need of IADL support 1 years history or risk of hospitalization or falls Resident of the following counties Milwaukee, WI, Waukesha Wi or Richland County Must be able to read English at a 6th grade level. Exclusion Criteria: Under 65 years of age Unable to read English Not a resident of the above listed counties.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 65 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Triple


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| No Intervention: Control Condition<br>Subjects receive usual care and support. No study intervention provided | |
| Experimental: Elder Tree Condition<br>Elder Tree website. Subjects receive usual care, support and access to the study intervention website. | Other: Elder Tree website<br>* Elder Tree is a private, secure information, support and communication website developed for this study.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Number of older adult subjects with increased independence and quality of life from baseline to 18 months | Compared to the control group elders using Elder Tree will experience greater independence and quality of life and will have fewer unscheduled clinical and emergency room visits and hospital and nursing home stays. | Change in independence and quality of life will be assessed at 6, 12 , 18 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Number of caregiver subjects with improved satisfaction | Compared to the control group, caregivers using Elder Tree will experience improved satisfaction, coping and appraisal. | Change in improved caregiver satisfaction will be assessed at 6, 12 , 18 months | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Older Adults, Caregivers, Aging, Support