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Older Peer-Delivered and Smartphone-Supported Integrated Medical and Psychiatric Self-Management Intervention

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Abstract

PeerTECH is older peer-delivered and technology-support integrated medical and psychiatric self-management intervention developed by older adult peer support specialists. Older adult peer support specialists are older adults with a lived experience of a mental health condition, who are trained and accredited to provide support services to others with similar conditions. A pre/post trial by our group has shown PeerTECH is associated with statistically significant improvements in self-efficacy for managing chronic disease and psychiatric self-management skills. This presentation will discuss the feasibility and potential effectiveness of a 3-month pre/post study with older adults with SMI. We will discuss the potential effectiveness of PeerTECH with older adults with SMI related to loneliness, distress, and medical and psychiatric self-management. in conclusion, we will discuss the main and interactive effects of loneliness and factors linked to mortality.
10 Veterans who received services from the peers in primary
care.
VA PEER PROVIDERS SUPPORTING PHYSICAL
HEALTH AND WELLNESS AMONG AGING VETERANS
WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS
AnjanaMuralidharan,1 AmandaPeeples,2 AliciaLucksted,1
and RichardGoldberg,3 1. VA Capitol Healthcare Network,
Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 2. US Department of
Veterans Affairs, Baltimore, Maryland, United States,
3. Veterans Affairs Capitol Healthcare Network, Baltimore,
Maryland, United States
There is a growing evidence base for the utility of peers in
supporting physical health outcomes among aging Veterans
with mental illness. This talk will consider two questions: (1)
what does it mean to be a “peer” when the focus is improving
physical health, and (2) how does peer support promote
health behavior change? In considering these questions, se-
lect peer-delivered interventions recently or currently being
tested in the VA will be discussed. Data from qualitative inter-
views (N=16; ages 47-75) from a recent RCT of Living Well,
a peer co-facilitated group intervention promoting illness
self-management, will be presented. These data shed light
on the peer role, especially the role of peer self-disclosure in
promoting group cohesion, social learning, self-efcacy, and
health behavior change. Notably, when physical health is
the focus, participants relate to peer providers across diverse
characteristics, and not necessarily based on a shared lived
experience of mental illness.
OLDER PEER-DELIVERED AND SMARTPHONE-
SUPPORTED INTEGRATED MEDICAL AND
PSYCHIATRIC SELF-MANAGEMENT INTERVENTION
KarenFortuna, Dartmouth College, Concord,
New Hampshire, United States
PeerTECH is older peer-delivered and technology-support
integrated medical and psychiatric self-management interven-
tion developed by older adult peer support specialists. Older
adult peer support specialists are older adults with a lived
experience of a mental health condition, who are trained
and accredited to provide support services to others with
similar conditions. Apre/post trial by our group has shown
PeerTECH is associated with statistically signicant improve-
ments in self-efcacy for managing chronic disease and psy-
chiatric self-management skills. This presentation will discuss
the feasibility and potential effectiveness of a 3-month pre/
post study with older adults with SMI. We will discuss the po-
tential effectiveness of PeerTECH with older adults with SMI
related to loneliness, distress, and medical and psychiatric
self-management. in conclusion, we will discuss the main and
interactive effects of loneliness and factors linked to mortality.
SESSION 5805 (SYMPOSIUM)
TRANSLATING BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS: IT IS
MORE THAN JUST LANGUAGE
Chair: KatherineMarx
Co-Chair: LauraGitlin
In the United States, over 5 million people are living with
Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia. Providing care are
an estimated 16 million unpaid caregivers and millions of
paid caregivers. Neuro-psychologic symptoms (NPS) such as
agitation, aggression, depression, rejection of care, and ap-
athy are almost universal in persons living with dementia
(PLwD). Caring for NPS often leads to poor physical, mental
and nancial outcomes. There have been hundreds of non-
pharmacologic interventions tested and found efcacious to
help caregivers with NPS and daily care challenges. However,
very few of these interventions have been widely adopted in
different languages and settings. One promising intervention
used in various countries is the Tailored Activity Program
(TAP). TAP, delivered by occupational therapists, customizes
activities to PLwD’s current capabilities and prior roles and
interests and instructs caregivers in their use. This session
will examine TAP’s reach and how it has been translated and
adapted. First, Ms. Sokha Koeuth will present modications
needed to the program to facilitate widespread dissemination
including placing training in the program online and vir-
tual. The next two presentations will discuss adaptations to
TAP in different countries and cultures; Dr. Marcia Novielli
will present TAP-Brazil, and Dr. Jean Gajardo Jauregui will
present TAP-Chile. Finally, Dr. Katherine Marx will examine
the adaptations needed to place TAP into a long-term care
setting with both family and paid caregivers. These papers
highlight the cross-cultural adaptations that need to be con-
sidered in taking a program from research to different real
world clinical and community-based settings. Behavioral
Interventions for Older Adults Interest Group Sponsored
Symposium.
ADAPTATIONS FOR TAP IN A LONG-TERM CARE
SETTING
KatherineMarx,1 LaurenParker,2 and LauraGitlin,3
1. Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland,
United States, 2. Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore,
Maryland, United States, 3. Drexel University, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, United States
One of the most difcult aspects of caring for people
living with dementia is managing neuropsychologic symp-
toms and functional decline. Although there are hundreds
of efcacious non-pharmacologic interventions tested in
homes, few are adapted for and tested in long-term care. The
purpose of this pilot study was to identify the adaptations
needed for the Tailored Activity Program (TAP) to make it
feasible and acceptable in a long-term care facility. TAP pro-
vides tailored activities matched to interests and abilities to
address dementia-related clinical symptoms. Two sites, under
the umbrella of one company, participated. A total of ve
persons living with dementia, their family caregivers, two
direct care staff and an interventionist participated, and oc-
cupational therapist who contracts with the site on a regular
basis. Adaptations included shorter sessions and changes to
forms to t with workows and documentation. Additional
considerations challenging implementation of TAP included
staff turn-over and training. Part of a symposium sponsored
by the Behavioral Interventions for Older Adults Interest
Group.
SCALING AN EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAM: THE
CASE OF THE TAILORED ACTIVITY PROGRAM
SokhaKoeuth,1 KatherineMarx,2 LauraGitlin,1 and
CatherinePiersol,3 1. Drexel University, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, United States, 2. Johns Hopkins University,
GSA 2020 Annual Scientific Meeting
Innovation in Aging, 2020, Vol. 4, No. S1 631
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Article
Objective: This study explores the willingness of older adults to use smartphones and improve their digital skills and encourages nursing to actively participate in bridging the digital divide. Methods: Subject analysis was used to conduct qualitative research, and 23 older adults were interviewed. Results: We identified four themes: (1) the current situation of smartphone use; (2) the digital dilemma of smartphone use; (3) social support for digital skills; and (4) the willingness to learn digital skills. Older adults in China are willing to accept and use smartphones for simple operations, and peer learning may be an effective way to improve their digital skills. Conclusion: Community support is necessary to develop the digital skills of older adults with smartphones and reduce the digital divide to the greatest extent possible. Nursing may play a role in promoting digital inclusion for older adults.
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