The TechSAge Minimum Battery: A multidimensional and holistic assessment of individuals aging with long-term disabilities

Methods and baseline characteristics for a social engagement technology-based randomized controlled trial for older adults

Background

Growing evidence suggests that increasing opportunities for social engagement has the potential to support successful aging. However, many older adults may have limited access to in-person social engagement opportunities due to barriers such as transportation. We outline the development, design, methodology, and baseline characteristics of a randomized controlled trial that assessed the benefits of a social engagement intervention delivered through the OneClick video conferencing platform to older adults with varying levels of cognitive functioning.

Methods

Community-dwelling older adults with and without cognitive challenges were randomly assigned to a social engagement intervention group or a waitlist control group. Participants were asked to attend twice-weekly social engagement events for 8 weeks via OneClick. Outcomes included social engagement and technology acceptance for both groups at baseline, week-4, and week-8 assessments. As an extension, the waitlist control group had an opportunity to participate in the intervention, with outcomes assessed at weeks 12 and 16.

Results

We randomly assigned 99 participants (mean age = 74.1 ± 6.7, range: 60-99), with 50 in the immediate intervention group and 49 in the waitlist control group. About half of the participants reported living alone (53.5%), with a third (31%) falling into the cognitively impaired range on global cognitive screening. The groups did not differ at baseline on any of the outcome measures.

Conclusions

Outcomes from this study will provide important information regarding the feasibility and efficacy of providing technology-based social engagement interventions to older adults with a range of cognitive abilities.

Transportation challenges for persons aging with mobility disability: Qualitative insights and policy implications

BACKGROUND

Persons aging with mobility disability (PAwMD) experience transportation barriers, which can hinder their ability to fully participate in society. Despite a vast infrastructure of federal laws and programs designed to ensure access to transportation, PAwMD remain a transportation-disadvantaged population.

OBJECTIVES

This paper presents detailed insights on transportation challenges experienced by PAwMD along with recent Federal programmatic initiatives designed to enhance access and mobility for transportation for older adults and people with disabilities. To identify policy gaps and opportunities to improve transportation services, we compared individual-level challenges from PAwMD to national survey data about barriers associated with delivering transportation services at state and local levels.

METHODS

To assess individual-level transportation challenges, we conducted in-depth, structured interviews with sixty older adult participants with self-identified mobility disabilities for at least 10 years. We also conducted a content analysis of end-user transportation challenges and agency-level transportation coordination barriers to identify correspondences.

RESULTS

Participants reported challenges utilizing public and private modes of transportation, related to availability; accessibility; safety; advanced planning; as well as societal attitudes. Barriers to the availability, delivery, and coordination of access and mobility services are linked directly or indirectly to the PAwMD reports of experiencing a shortage of accessible transportation options.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings highlight the complexity of federal transportation policies and programmatic initiatives designed to support older adults and people with disabilities, which contribute to implementation barriers and transportation challenges. Results highlight the importance of integrating end-user and state and local provider input into transportation policy development and program implementation.