Distance Learning for Home Modifications

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of this project is to develop and test the feasibility of a series of online educational modules that provide practical information on home modifications for older adults with sensory, mobility, physical and cognitive impairments. Modifying a home through remodeling, adding adaptive hardware, or changing the arrangement of objects is an important intervention strategy to manage chronic health care conditions, maintain or improve functioning, increase independence, ensure safety of frail older adults who experience functional limitations, and minimize the cost of personal care services. A major reason for the limited implementation of home modifications throughout the U.S. is not a lack of carpenters or construction people to implement the modifications, but rather the lack of individuals in social service agencies, particularly in non-urban areas, who have the knowledge to prescribe the appropriate modifications. Distance learning is an effective way to educate service providers to enable them to prescribe home modifications as part of a comprehensive, multi-dimensional strategy tailored to the specific needs of older adults. Phase I will involve the development and testing of a two-module course on home modifications to compensate for cognitive impairments, such as Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Two separate course formats, synchronous (where a group of learners take the course during the same time frame, dialoguing with each other and the professor through a bulletin board) and asynchronous (where there is no interactive component but learners can take the course at any time) will be tested for both knowledge gain and learner preference. Phase II will develop and test the efficacy of several additional courses on home modifications for individuals with other conditions, such as sensory, functional or mobility impairments. Phase III will include an aggressive marketing plan to make the courses readily available to a broad range of social service agency personnel, contractors, and others engaged in home modifications.