Researched use of text messaging and helping seniors remain in their homes.

A Grand Valley State University nursing faculty member will present research at a national conference about text messaging to promote medication adherence trials and an interprofessional approach to helping vulnerable older adults remain at home and out of nursing homes.

Sandra Spoelstra, associate dean for research and scholarship for the Kirkhof College of Nursing, will give two presentations at the Gerontological Society of America Annual Scientific Meeting in Florida November 18 and 20.

Text message intervention trials

While phone text messages are emerging as an effective way to deliver interventions (such as texting reminders about medications), Spoelstra said little is known about the success of enrolling older adults into interventions that include text messaging.

She examined the efficacy of text messaging for medication adherence of older adults on oral anti-cancer agents from two settings: a national specialty pharmacy and oncology clinics.

In a study of 293 patients, Spoelstra found recruiting through the specialty pharmacy resulted in higher enrollment than those recruited from oncology clinics, and that adults 60 years of age or older were likely to enroll in a text message intervention.

Helping vulnerable older adults remain in their homes

Spoelstra will discuss patient outcomes from participants who are enrolled in the MiCAPABLE (Community Aging in Place for Better Elderly Living) program in Detroit, Flint and Saginaw.

MiCAPABLE embeds an evidence-based intervention to promote increase function, reduction in pain and depression, and medication management in the Michigan Medicaid MiChoice waiver program from an interprofessional team of nurses, social workers, occupational therapists and pharmacists.