PUTTING THE 4MS INTO PRACTICE: IMPLICATIONS FOR TRAINING AND TECHNOLOGY

Abstract The AgingME Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (AgingME GWEP), a statewide collaboration led by the University of New England and the University of Maine, is guided by an annual statewide survey of community and professional stakeholders. The aim of this research is to identify training and resource gaps related to age-friendly healthcare and topics of interest. Of the 245 survey respondents, 15% indicated existing knowledge of the 4Ms framework. The top sources of 4M’s framework exposure included trainings or webinars (30%) and web-based resources (19%). Of those with knowledge of the 4M’s, 33% of providers and 29% of older adults/community members reported employing the 4Ms in their professional practices and personal lives, respectively. Respondents also noted the need for more training on how to use technology to locate healthcare information (33%), using technology to reduce isolation and loneliness among older adults (29%), and keeping providers connected with older patients (26%). Additional write-in responses (11%) suggest a need for general technology training and improving access to technology overall. Respondents' (N = 157) top five categories for needed aging-related training topics were community resources for older adults (15%), aging-in-place (14%), exercise and nutrition (11%), improving provider/patient communication (9%), and 4M’s of age-friendly healthcare overview (8%). Responses also identified themes related to improving patient/provider communications, availability of resources, and ageism that could be addressed through upcoming GWEP activities. Results indicate a need to facilitate the translation of 4Ms knowledge into practice and increasing technology training and access.

Background: Social isolation is a well-documented contributor to poor mental and physical health, and interventions promoting social connectedness have been shown to be protective. This study examined predictors of participating in a telephone-based social connectedness intervention for socially isolated older adults.
Methods: Data was obtained from a social connectedness intervention that paired students with older adults. Eligible participants included Houston area older adults, 65 years or older, enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans. Eligible participants were contacted telephonically and asked to complete the 3-item UCLA Loneliness Scale. Those who screened positive for loneliness were invited to participate in the social connectedness intervention. Logistic regression models, that accounted for sociodemographic, clinical and functional indices, were used to identify predictors of participation.
Conclusion: Telephone-based social connectedness interventions can reach vulnerable older adults with clinical and social needs, and can be useful in addressing racial/ethnic health equity gaps in socially isolated older adults.
Additional write-in responses (11%) suggest a need for general technology training and improving access to technology overall. Respondents' (N = 157) top five categories for needed aging-related training topics were community resources for older adults (15%), aging-in-place (14%), exercise and nutrition (11%), improving provider/patient communication (9%), and 4M's of age-friendly healthcare overview (8%). Responses also identified themes related to improving patient/provider communications, availability of resources, and ageism that could be addressed through upcoming GWEP activities. Results indicate a need to facilitate the translation of 4Ms knowledge into practice and increasing technology training and access. Background: Resident engagement and activities have positive relationships with emotional wellbeing and physical health. However, regularly offered activities may not be suitable for all individuals and may be unsustainable when there are changes in residents' health. Loneliness, depression, and social isolation are observed among residents in long-term care facilities. A web-based assessment system, "Elder Engagement Performance Improvement (EEPI)," has the potential to support resident engagement. Activity professionals are crucial in utilizing EEPI and engaging residents in meaningful activities, especially regarding their role in helping enhance resident engagement and wellbeing. This study aims explores activity professionals' experiences in implementing the EEPI assessment. Method: Semi-structured interviews with 23 long-term care activity professionals (e.g., certified activities professionals, therapeutic recreation specialists, and activity assistants) were conducted and analyzed using qualitative content analysis.

SUPPORTING RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT VIA WEB-BASED ASSESSMENT: EXPERIENCE OF ACTIVITY PROFESSIONALS IN LONG-TERM CARE
Results: Activity professionals` experiences showed the EEPI was a means in improving residents' engagement quality and making engagement a more targeted outcome. Four main themes emerged: (a) Lack of assessment tools, (b) Acceptance of a web-based assessment system, (c) Barriers to using the EEPI (time arrangements, staffing issues, and being on the same page), and (d) Areas for job improvement (person-center care and measurable practices). Conclusions: The EEPI may serve as a valuable tool in long-term care facilities. The webbased assessment system facilitated activity professionals' daily work and involved the residents' input in their care, which may enhance resident engagement and reduce the risk of social isolation in long-term care facilities.

INTEGRATING DIVERSE CANCER PERSPECTIVES: FROM DEVELOPMENT TO IMPLEMENTATION Chair: Sean Halpin
Cancer among older adults is pervasive, putting excessive strain at the individual, caregivers, and wider society levels. In our symposium, we bring together researchers from varied disciplines-with a focus on easing the strain of cancer on older adults by identifying important gaps in care and developing and implementing innovative methods for improving health services. First, Carrion will discuss the multifactorial experience of fears and beliefs about cancer and cancer prevention in 57 older Latino men. Krok-Schoen will discuss the longitudinal association between religiosity and cognitive functioning among older adults with hematological cancers. Next, Seaman will discuss engaging hard-toreach patients and those who underutilize the health system. Blackberry will then describe an implementation and impact framework of a five-year research program to improve care in older people with cancer. Lastly, Halpin will discuss the 36-month implementation of a video-based patient education program for patients with multiple myeloma who are preparing for autologous stem cell transplant. Understanding the development and implementation of programs aimed at improving health services among older adults with cancer will help improve understanding potential methods for identifying and addressing health services challenges in these populations. Older adults have an increased risk for multiple myeloma (MM), yet they are often unable to collect sufficient healthy stem cells for autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT). We sought to assess the implementation of educational intervention videos, termed Ready for Transplant (R4T), for MM patients both during the 18-month study and at 12 and 18-months post-study. Guided by the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework, we observed 152 clinical encounters for 70 patients who received the intervention. Patients who reported viewing the R4T videos (56%) tended to be older and male and were more likely to admit for transplant than those who did not report viewing the videos (risk ratio, 2.3; 95% CI, 0.61, 3.88). At 12-and 18-months-post, nurses reported still using the R4T videos and found them particularly useful during times when patients were unable to attend the hospital for in-person visits due to the pandemic.