Empowering Senior Populations with Diabetes Prevention: Establishing a Community-Based & Participant Driven Initiative Through the CDC PreventT2 Program

Background: The Centers for Disease Control Prevent Type 2 Diabetes (CDC Prevent T2) program focuses on integrating lifestyle interventions over a period of time to help a broad spectrum of individuals with prediabetes lower their A1C and reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes with numerous skills and educational sessions. The aim of this project is to develop people-centered modifications that suit the specific lifestyle needs of older adult populations, which acknowledge the unique challenges of the current curriculum to improve the quality of life for those in senior living communities.

 

Method: The project team utilized the CDC’s PreventT2 program to collaborate and partner with residents of the Riderwood Senior Living Community in the state of Maryland, USA , who were overweight and prediabetic based on A1C measurements.

 

Weekly sessions over the course of a year included education, skills, weight monitoring, recording of physical activity and suggestions on lifestyle modifications that encouraged accountability and participant involvement in their own health. By partnering with the participants, feedback was gathered throughout the initial program through discussions and observations to aid in identifying barriers and empowering participant involvement in their own care.

 

Results: Throughout the program, several participants achieved notable reductions in weight and A1C, demonstrating the program’s potential effectiveness while also highlighting key limitations of the program for this population. Observations and perspectives shared by the participants from each session helped to establish realistic goals involving dieting, physical activity, nutritional information and more through their own actions and involvement in leading community-based interventions. Relevancy and realistic standards were highlighted by the participants, which include shopping, cooking, and other activities that are more applicable to the needs of younger, working populations, such as balancing work and childcare.

 

Implications: While the CDC PreventT2 program can positively impact senior populations, modifications are necessary to optimize its effectiveness in this setting. Minor adaptations to the program are recommended for any future iterations of the program, which include tailoring dietary guidance to account for communal meal preparation, emphasizing age-appropriate physical activity, and adjusting content to reflect the unique lifestyle and health challenges of seniors in assisted living communities.

 

Partnering with the healthcare setting is also essential to connect the participants to the community to aid in achieving the program goals, improving the participants health, and promoting people-centered care.. The residents are able to take initiative in their daily health as they learn to support themselves and their fellow participants, allowing them the opportunity to develop long-term skills and health goals they can share within their own community. These modifications can help bridge the disparity gap in chronic disease prevention among older adults, aligning with the goal of creating a healthy community and nation.