Multicomponent Telerehabilitation to Engage Veterans in Effective Self-Management of Complex Health Conditions

Summary

Medically complex older Veterans are at greater risk for progressive declines in physical function, lower quality of life, and increasing care needs. Additionally, older Veterans experience social isolation and loneliness, and have low levels of physical activity. While the Veterans Health Administration has established programs to address rehabilitation needs, these programs tend to be diagnosis-focused, lack self-management approaches, include low-intensity rehabilitation, and typically require in-person attendance. A MultiComponent TeleRehabilitation (MCTR) program that includes high-intensity rehabilitation and self-management interventions, social support, and telehealth and technology supports may be more effective in improving and sustaining physical function for older Veterans with complex health conditions. Therefore, this project is designed to determine whether the MCTR program improves strength and physical function more effectively than traditional interventions.

Conditions

• Multimorbidity
• Physical Deconditioning

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Motivational Interviewing Techniques

Motivational Interviewing Techniques including but not limited to open-ended questions, reflection, affirmations, and summary will be used to build participant rapport, support behavior change (physical activity), and facilitate program engagement.

OTHER

Physical Therapy Interventions

Strengthening, balance, functional activities, stretching, breathing, aerobic endurance exercise.

OTHER

Education

Education on general health topics which may include the following: basic nutrition, stress reduction, sleep hygiene, etc.

OTHER

Health Status Updates

Health Status Updates will be completed by a trained assessor. The assessor will ask about adverse events, general health topics, medication changes, and changes in social circumstances.

OTHER

Physical Therapy Consult

Participants in the control condition will be offered a physical therapy consult at the end of their 24 week study involvement.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• VA Office of Research and Development

  lead FED

Principal Investigators

• Jennifer E. Stevens-Lapsley, PhD · Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center, Aurora, CO

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

60 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2024-04-18

Primary Completion

2026-11-02

Completion

2028-03-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations