Tailored Occupational Therapy and Registered Dietitian Services for Home-Delivered Meal Clients: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Ohio State University
Summary
The purpose of this study is to determine which of the following four service models is most effective for reducing fall risk among home-delivered meal clients: (1) meals alone, (2) meals + registered dietitian services, (3) meals + occupational therapy services, (4) meals + registered dietitian + occupational therapy services.
Description
Home delivered meal programs provide essential health and nutritional support to community-dwelling older adults in the United States. Without this support, nearly three million older adults would be at even greater risk for malnourishment and subsequent health decline, leading to potential hospitalizations and nursing home placements. Despite the reported value of home delivered meals, the increasingly complex health needs of the older adult population warrant new, innovative approaches that enhance home-delivered meal services. In our prior work, we identified that the majority of home deliv…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 60+ years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * Eligible to receive meals according to LifeCare Alliance's standard in-take criteria (Over the age of 60; unable to safely and independently leave the home; does not have access to a caregiver who can prepare meals) * Has a working freezer to store between 7-14 frozen meals/week * Has a working microwave or oven to reheat meals * Lives within LifeCare Alliance's 5-county service area Exclusion Criteria: * Individuals already receiving home-delivered meals from LifeCare Alliance or other meal agency (within the past 40 days) * Individuals residing in residential care or…
Interventions
- BehavioralMeals + RD services
Registered dietitians (RD) will provide tailored dietitian counseling and nutrition education
- BehavioralMeals + OT services
Occupational therapists (OT) will provide tailored home safety recommendations and fall prevention education/strategies
- BehavioralMeals + RD + OT services
A combination of tailored registered dietitian and occupational therapy services will be provided
Location
- LifeCare AllianceColumbus, Ohio