An Online Community Intervention for Older Persons with Pre-Frailty and Frailty: Pilot Studies

Online community interventions can support self-management in older populations but have rarely targeted symptomology of pre-frailty and frailty. To support older adults’ pre-frailty/frailty symptom management, we iteratively refined an approach entitled Virtual Online Community for Aging Life Experience (VOCALE) in three consecutive pilot studies (2018-2020). These studies employed asynchronous online discussions in which participants were asked to respond to weekly prompts. A study facilitator moderated the discussion, encouraging participants to respond to both the prompts and comments of other participants. In the first pilot (n=8), participants engaged in a collective exploration of different symptoms of pre-frailty and frailty. The second (n=10) and third (n=10) pilots employed a hybrid approach including collaborative exploration and learning of different problem-solving therapy skills over eight weeks. The mean age of participants of the three pilots combined was 80.6 (SD = 7.0). Most participants were female (71%). Participant attrition ranged from 20-25%. Many participants who completed the study noted that they enjoyed the discussions. The participants also found the moderators' follow-up questions and support timely and engaging. Additionally, we observed small but positive changes in self-efficacy measures. These pilot studies have confirmed that older adults with pre-frailty and frailty are interested, and can successfully engage in online community interventions, with the technical support and moderation provided, even during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, when lockdown policies were rolled out. Participation in the intervention was also associated with increased awareness of the need to be proactive in self-management concerning frailty-related symptoms.

A randomised controlled trial of the Nextdoor Kind Challenge: a study protocol

Background Community interventions are often promoted as a way of reducing loneliness and social isolation in our neighbourhoods. However, those community interventions are rarely examined within rigorous study designs. One strategy that holds the potential to reduce loneliness and can promote health and wellbeing is doing acts of kindness. The current study involves evaluating the impact of kindness acts on loneliness in community-dwelling individuals using an online social networking platform. Methods This study is made up of three randomised controlled trials conducted in three countries. Each randomised controlled trial has two arms (intervention vs waitlist control) and is designed to compare the effectiveness of the KIND challenge, which involves doing at least one act of kindness per week within a four-week period. This study will recruit users of an online community, be randomised online, and will be conducted using online assessments. We will first explore the effects of the intervention on the primary outcome of loneliness, followed by secondary outcomes, social isolation, neighbour relationship quality and contact, mental health symptoms, stress, quality of life, and positive affect. Further, we will assess the feasibility, acceptability, and safety of the KIND Challenge. Discussion This study, designed to evaluate the impact of kindness on the community, will be the first large scale randomised control trial conducted across three countries, Australia, UK, and USA. It will examine the potential of community-led interventions to reduce loneliness, improve social isolation, and promote neighbourhood cohesion, health, and wellbeing, which is especially crucial during the COVID-19 public health crisis. Trial registration Clinical Trials Registry. NCT04398472. Registered 21st May 2020.

Cultural Relevancy of Culinary and Nutritional Medicine Interventions: A Scoping Review

Background. Taking into account the disproportionate impacts of disease burden from chronic conditions by racial and ethnic group, this scoping review sought to examine the extent to which nutritional interventions incorporated culturally relevant topics into their design and analyses. Methods. A literature search of 5 databases was conducted for any peer-reviewed studies on nutritional and culinary medicine interventions published between 2000 and 2019. Results. Studies were divided into 2 categories, medical education interventions (n = 12) and clinical/community interventions (n = 20). The majority of medical education interventions were not culturally tailored and focused on obesity/weight management within the Northeast and Southeast United States. In contrast, clinical/community interventions were primarily culturally tailored for Latinos/Hispanics and African American/Black populations residing in the Northeast and diagnosed with prediabetes/diabetes mellitus or hypertension/cardiovascular disease. Conclusions. This review identified an existent gap and need for inclusive studies that consider the culturally relevant topics into the design and implementation of nutritional intervention studies. Studies within medical education appeared to be the area where these changes can be most beneficial. There may be some value among clinic and communal-based studies in stratifying heterogeneous subgroups because of the missed cultural nuances missed when grouping larger racial cohorts.