Tailoring registered dietitian and occupational therapy services for home-delivered meal recipients: feasibility study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Abstract Background Home-delivered meal recipients often present with complex nutritional and functional needs that place them at elevated risk for health decline and potential institutionalization. To address these complex needs, clinical services—namely registered dietitian and occupational therap...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Pilot and Feasibility Studies |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-025-01623-7 |
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| author | Lisa A. Juckett Shivam Joshi J. Madison Hyer Govind Hariharan Kali S. Thomas Tejeswini Siva Sathya Mequeil L. Howard Leah E. Bunck Melinda L. Rowe Andrea Devier Kelly Parrett LifeCare Alliance SixtyPLUS Team |
| author_facet | Lisa A. Juckett Shivam Joshi J. Madison Hyer Govind Hariharan Kali S. Thomas Tejeswini Siva Sathya Mequeil L. Howard Leah E. Bunck Melinda L. Rowe Andrea Devier Kelly Parrett LifeCare Alliance SixtyPLUS Team |
| author_sort | Lisa A. Juckett |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Home-delivered meal recipients often present with complex nutritional and functional needs that place them at elevated risk for health decline and potential institutionalization. To address these complex needs, clinical services—namely registered dietitian and occupational therapy services—may be warranted to reduce the risk of health decline and maximize outcomes of this vulnerable older adult population. Accordingly, this study will explore the feasibility of testing four different clinical service models with home-delivered meal recipients. In particular, this study will determine the feasibility of recruiting and retaining participants from one home-delivered meal provider, determine challenges and opportunities to improve data collection procedures, assess resources needed to conduct study activities, and identify if service models can be implemented as intended. Methods This is a feasibility RCT with 1:1:1:1 allocation to four service arms: (a) meals only, (b) meals + registered dietitian services, (c) meals + occupational therapy services, or (d) meals + registered dietitian services + occupational therapy services. Study activities will be conducted in collaboration with one, large community-based agency in the Midwest United States. We will recruit 60 participants who meet the following inclusion criteria: is eligible to receive home-delivered meals funded through Title 3 of the Older Americans Act, has a self-reported diagnosis of diabetes and/or heart disease, is at risk for falling, and can store and reheat up to 14 frozen meals per week. Data collection will occur at baseline and at 3 months after informed consent to assess malnutrition risk, self-management of health conditions, and fall risk. Discussion While tailored dietitian and occupational therapy services may be warranted to address the nutritional and functional needs of home-delivered meal recipients, the effect of these services on recipient outcomes has yet to be rigorously examined. This feasibility study will identify the degree to which our service models can be tested with one community-based agency and identify opportunities to improve study procedures prior to conducting a definitive, stage III randomized controlled trial. Trial registration NCT06059404. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0f94d026cae64c4a8ce976087d0b88d2 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2055-5784 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pilot and Feasibility Studies |
| spelling | doaj-art-0f94d026cae64c4a8ce976087d0b88d22025-08-20T03:04:58ZengBMCPilot and Feasibility Studies2055-57842025-04-0111111110.1186/s40814-025-01623-7Tailoring registered dietitian and occupational therapy services for home-delivered meal recipients: feasibility study protocol for a randomized controlled trialLisa A. Juckett0Shivam Joshi1J. Madison Hyer2Govind Hariharan3Kali S. Thomas4Tejeswini Siva Sathya5Mequeil L. Howard6Leah E. Bunck7Melinda L. Rowe8Andrea Devier9Kelly Parrett10LifeCare Alliance SixtyPLUS TeamThe Ohio State University, School of Health and Rehabilitation SciencesThe Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Center for BiostatisticsThe Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Center for BiostatisticsKennesaw State University, Coles College of BusinessJohns Hopkins University, School of NursingThe Ohio State University, School of Health and Rehabilitation SciencesThe Ohio State University, School of Health and Rehabilitation SciencesLifeCare AllianceLifeCare AllianceLifeCare AllianceLifeCare AllianceAbstract Background Home-delivered meal recipients often present with complex nutritional and functional needs that place them at elevated risk for health decline and potential institutionalization. To address these complex needs, clinical services—namely registered dietitian and occupational therapy services—may be warranted to reduce the risk of health decline and maximize outcomes of this vulnerable older adult population. Accordingly, this study will explore the feasibility of testing four different clinical service models with home-delivered meal recipients. In particular, this study will determine the feasibility of recruiting and retaining participants from one home-delivered meal provider, determine challenges and opportunities to improve data collection procedures, assess resources needed to conduct study activities, and identify if service models can be implemented as intended. Methods This is a feasibility RCT with 1:1:1:1 allocation to four service arms: (a) meals only, (b) meals + registered dietitian services, (c) meals + occupational therapy services, or (d) meals + registered dietitian services + occupational therapy services. Study activities will be conducted in collaboration with one, large community-based agency in the Midwest United States. We will recruit 60 participants who meet the following inclusion criteria: is eligible to receive home-delivered meals funded through Title 3 of the Older Americans Act, has a self-reported diagnosis of diabetes and/or heart disease, is at risk for falling, and can store and reheat up to 14 frozen meals per week. Data collection will occur at baseline and at 3 months after informed consent to assess malnutrition risk, self-management of health conditions, and fall risk. Discussion While tailored dietitian and occupational therapy services may be warranted to address the nutritional and functional needs of home-delivered meal recipients, the effect of these services on recipient outcomes has yet to be rigorously examined. This feasibility study will identify the degree to which our service models can be tested with one community-based agency and identify opportunities to improve study procedures prior to conducting a definitive, stage III randomized controlled trial. Trial registration NCT06059404.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-025-01623-7AgingCommunity resourcesNutritional statusFunctional statusInterdisciplinary research |
| spellingShingle | Lisa A. Juckett Shivam Joshi J. Madison Hyer Govind Hariharan Kali S. Thomas Tejeswini Siva Sathya Mequeil L. Howard Leah E. Bunck Melinda L. Rowe Andrea Devier Kelly Parrett LifeCare Alliance SixtyPLUS Team Tailoring registered dietitian and occupational therapy services for home-delivered meal recipients: feasibility study protocol for a randomized controlled trial Pilot and Feasibility Studies Aging Community resources Nutritional status Functional status Interdisciplinary research |
| title | Tailoring registered dietitian and occupational therapy services for home-delivered meal recipients: feasibility study protocol for a randomized controlled trial |
| title_full | Tailoring registered dietitian and occupational therapy services for home-delivered meal recipients: feasibility study protocol for a randomized controlled trial |
| title_fullStr | Tailoring registered dietitian and occupational therapy services for home-delivered meal recipients: feasibility study protocol for a randomized controlled trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | Tailoring registered dietitian and occupational therapy services for home-delivered meal recipients: feasibility study protocol for a randomized controlled trial |
| title_short | Tailoring registered dietitian and occupational therapy services for home-delivered meal recipients: feasibility study protocol for a randomized controlled trial |
| title_sort | tailoring registered dietitian and occupational therapy services for home delivered meal recipients feasibility study protocol for a randomized controlled trial |
| topic | Aging Community resources Nutritional status Functional status Interdisciplinary research |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-025-01623-7 |
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