Activating SilverSneakers Benefits for Seniors With Osteoarthritis

Launched by MILTON S. HERSHEY MEDICAL CENTER · Jan 16, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

The clinical trial titled "Activating SilverSneakers Benefits for Seniors With Osteoarthritis" is designed to help older adults with osteoarthritis become more active through a program called SilverSneakers. This program offers exercise classes specifically for seniors. Researchers will send information by mail and make two phone calls to encourage participants to join the exercise classes. The goal is to see if this approach can help improve physical health, social connections, and mental well-being, while also reducing the need for medical care related to osteoarthritis. About 1,454 seniors aged 65 and older who have osteoarthritis and access to SilverSneakers through their Medicare Advantage plans will be invited to take part in the study over a two-year period.

To be eligible, participants should be at least 65 years old, have a diagnosis of osteoarthritis, and have not used SilverSneakers before. They also need to have been enrolled in a Humana Medicare Advantage plan for at least a year, and be able to communicate in English or Spanish. Participants should be physically and mentally capable of giving their consent, meaning they should not have been diagnosed with dementia. If you decide to participate, you can expect to receive helpful materials and support to guide you in joining the exercise programs. This trial aims to not only enhance your health but also make a positive impact on your overall quality of life.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Aged 65 and older.
• • ICD-9 or ICD-10 code for hip, knee, or general osteoarthritis.
• • Positive response to a standardized question from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey that asks if patient was diagnosed with osteoarthritis/arthritis and self-report confirmation of hip and/or knee pain due to their osteoarthritis/arthritis.
• • Continuous enrollment for at least one year in a Humana Medicare Advantage plan which provides free SilverSneakers access and both medical and prescription drug coverage.
• • Not currently or previously enrolled in SilverSneakers.
• • Speak English or Spanish.
• • Physical/mental capacity to provide informed consent, based on not having an ICD-9 or ICD-10 code for dementia and being able to answer three questions to verify comprehension of the informed consent form.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Another person in the same household is enrolling/enrolled in the study (to prevent treatment contamination, only one participant per household can participate).
• • Medicare/Medicaid dual enrollment due to limited data accessibility for this group.
• • Receiving hospice care or under long-term institutional care (Part C) due to limited data accessibility for this group.
• • Receiving care from a provider credentialed through a delegated arrangement (i.e., delegated provider), due to limited data accessibility for this group.
• • Lack of a valid mailing address in the Humana medical claims databases.