Advance Planning for Home Services for Seniors

Funding: Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)
Partnership: Northwestern University
Principal Investigator: Lee A. Lindquist, MD

Background: Seniors often fail to plan for their health trajectory, leading to hospitalizations, nursing home placements, and limited choice in their long-term care. This project developed and tested an Advance Planning for Home Services (APHS) Tool to guide seniors in understanding home care services and planning proactively.

Outcomes:

• The APHS Tool improved seniors’ knowledge about home care services and increased their confidence in planning for future health events.
• Families reported reduced stress during crisis decision-making because seniors had already shared their preferences.
• Results informed best practices for aging-in-place planning and have been shared nationally with senior-focused organizations.

PCORI Project: Dissemination and Implementation (PlanYourLifespan.org)

Funding: Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)
Partnership: Northwestern University
Principal Investigator: Lee A. Lindquist, MD

Background: Many seniors and families do not fully understand home care services or plan for future care needs. This project focused on expanding the reach of PlanYourLifespan.org, a planning tool created to help seniors prepare for long-term care decisions.

Outcomes:

• The Train-the-Trainer model successfully equipped caregivers, seniors, and community leaders to implement the tool locally.
• Seniors who used PlanYourLifespan.org reported greater preparedness for long-term care decisions.
• The project demonstrated that community-based dissemination strategies can significantly expand access to planning resources.

Recruiting Older Adults into Research (ROAR) Project

Funding: National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Principal Investigator: Amy Wiatr-Rodriguez, Administration for Community Living

Background: Many Alzheimer’s and dementia research studies face delays due to challenges in recruiting older adults. This project sought to raise awareness and engagement among older adults to participate in clinical research.

Outcomes:

• Outreach efforts increased awareness of Alzheimer’s research opportunities.
• The project contributed to the development of best practices for engaging older adults in clinical trials.
• It helped diversify participant pools, addressing a major barrier in Alzheimer’s research.

Preservation of Mobility in Rural Older Adults through Exercise (PROMOTE Study)

Funding: National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Partnership: Tufts University, Boston

Background: Rural older adults often face barriers to maintaining mobility. This study translated an evidence-based exercise program into rural community settings to test its impact on mobility for older adults with chronic conditions.

Outcomes:

• Participants experienced improved strength, balance, and walking speed, reducing risk of falls.
• Rural communities gained access to sustainable, evidence-based fitness programs.
• The study demonstrated that exercise interventions can be effectively adapted for rural populations.

Collaborative Goal Setting for Diabetes (Expanded Study)

Funding: National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
Partnership: University of Iowa, College of Nursing
Principal Investigator: Andrea Wallace, PhD

Background: Building on a pilot project, this 5-year randomized control trial explored how collaborative goal setting (CGS) with providers impacts diabetes self-management among patients.

Outcomes:

• Patients who participated in CGS with reinforcement from their primary care providers showed improved self-management behaviors and better clinical outcomes.
• The study confirmed the value of patient-provider collaboration in chronic illness care.
• Findings are now being used to guide diabetes care practices in primary care settings.