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HIGHLIGHTS • What is the primary question addressed by this study? Can PEARLS, a brief, home-based intervention focused on problem solving treatment and behavioral activation for low-income older adults living with depression, improve social connectedness for underserved older populations? • What is the main finding of this study? PEARLS participants significantly improved on all three social connectedness constructs (social interactions and satisfaction with social support; perceived isolation; loneliness) six-months after PEARLS enrollment. Though most improvements persisted during early COVID-19 pandemic, additional supports may be needed for older persons with complex health and social needs. • What is the meaning of the finding? PEARLS is a promising intervention for increasing social connectedness among underserved older adults living with depression., Objective To evaluate PEARLS effectiveness for increasing social connectedness among underserved older adults with depression. Design Multi-site, pre-post single-group evaluation. Setting Community-based social service organizations (N=16) in five U.S. states, purposively sampled for maximum variation of participants and providers. Participants 320 homebound older adults (mean(SD) age 72.9(9.6), 79% female, 44% people of color, 81% low-income, 61% living alone, average four chronic conditions) with clinically significant depression (PHQ-9 mean(SD) 12.7(4.6)). Intervention 4-6 month home-based depression care management model delivered by trained front-line providers. Measurements Brief validated social connectedness scales: Duke Social Support Index 10-item (DSSI-10), PROMIS-Social Isolation (6-item), UCLA-Loneliness (3-item); sociodemographic and health measures. Results At baseline, PEARLS participants overall and with >/=1 of the following characteristics were less socially connected: younger (50-64), white, LGBTQ+, not partnered, not caregiving, living alone, financial limitations, chronic conditions, and/or recently hospitalized. Six-months post-PEARLS enrollment, participants significantly increased social interactions and satisfaction with social support (DSSI-10 t[312]=5.2, p

Background Most older adults do not meet recommended guidelines for physical activity. Referrals from physical therapists (PTs) to community- and evidence-based physical-activity programs like Enhance®Fitness have potential to address this gap. We tested an intervention intended to increase referrals of older adults to Enhance®Fitness programs offered at YMCAs. Materials and methods We developed a capacity-building intervention that included a structured toolkit and technical-assistance calls. From April 2016 to September 2018, using stratified randomization, we conducted a trial with 20 YMCA Associations randomized into intervention and control arms. The primary outcome was the number of new Enhance®Fitness enrollees during the trial period. Using both quantitative and qualitative methods, we also conducted process and intermediate-outcome evaluations to assess intervention implementation and Association outreach activities, barriers, and facilitators. Results The intervention was implemented as intended, but PT outreach was similar for both intervention and control YMCA Associations. The intervention arm had similar enrollment (1695 new enrollees) to the control arm (1326 new enrollees; 95% confidence interval, −47%–199%, P = 0.61). Interviews revealed that barriers, including lack of staff and time for outreach, limited capacity for Enhance®Fitness program growth, and competing priorities, outweighed facilitators, including existing partnerships, presence of an outreach team, senior leadership support, and infrastructure for referrals. Conclusions YMCA Associations in the intervention arm were unable to increase their outreach to PTs and enrollment in Enhance®Fitness. Our evaluation findings indicate that community organizations that prioritize program growth, have support at all organizational levels, and allocate staff and time for outreach and partnership development may be more successful in creating sustainable linkages with clinical partners and increasing evidence-based-program reach., Highlights • Physical therapists (PTs) may help older adults increase their physical activity by referring them to physical-activity programs. • In a randomized trial, we helped YMCA Associations build capacity to increase referrals by PTs of older adults to YMCA Enhance®Fitness programs. • The YMCA Associations encountered barriers and were unable to increase PT outreach and Enhance®Fitness enrollment. • We did, however, identify facilitators that may help community organizations create linkages with clinical partners and increase program reach. • Facilitators include prioritizing program growth, having senior-leadership support, and setting aside staff and time for outreach.

Objectives Depression is an important precursor to dementia, but less is known about the role dementia plays in altering the course of depression. We examined whether depression prevalence, incidence, and severity are higher in those with dementia versus those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or normal cognition. Design Prospective cohort study using the longitudinal Uniform Data Set of the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (2005–2013). Setting 34 Alzheimer Disease research centers. Participants 27,776 subjects with dementia, MCI, or normal cognition. Measurements Depression status was determined by a clinical diagnosis of depression within the prior 2 years and by a Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form score >5. Results Rates of depression were significantly higher in subjects with MCI and dementia compared with those with normal cognition at index visit. Controlling for demographics and common chronic conditions, logistic regression analysis revealed elevated depression in those with MCI (OR: 2.40 [95% CI: 2.25, 2.56]) or dementia (OR: 2.64 [95% CI: 2.43, 2.86]) relative to those with normal cognition. In the subjects without depression at the index visit (N = 18,842), those with MCI and dementia had higher probabilities of depression diagnosis 2 years post index visit than those with normal cognition: MCI = 21.7%, dementia = 24.7%, normal cognition = 10.5%. Conclusion MCI and dementia were associated with significantly higher rates of depression in concurrent as well as prospective analyses. These findings suggest that efforts to effectively engage and treat older adults with dementia will need also to address co-occurring depression.

Background: Physical activity is important for maintaining older adult health, but a majority of older adults are not meeting recommended physical activity levels. This paper describes the protocol and participant baseline characteristics for a trial (named “PT-REFER”) to test an intervention focused on developing community-clinical linkages to increase older adult referrals from physical therapy clinics to an evidence-based group exercise program (Enhance®Fitness) (EF) offered by YMCA associations. Methods: We designed a two-arm cluster-randomized controlled trial with YMCA associations. We conducted formative research with YMCA staff and physical therapists to inform intervention format and content. The primary outcome is the number of new participants enrolled in EF over the course of 30 months. We also collect process information on cost and implementation though structured surveys and semi-structured qualitative interviews. Results: The PT-REFER intervention creates a learning collaborative for YMCA associations, which are tasked with implementing a number of capacity- and partnership-building activities over the course of seven months, and participating in monthly group technical assistance calls. We recruited 20 YMCA associations from 13 states. At baseline, the average number of EF sites per association was 3.9 and the monthly average number of new EF participants was 3.7. Conclusions: This study will test an approach to increasing the capacity of YMCAs for conducting outreach to physical therapy clinics, and evaluate the factors that may influence its implementation. As a result, it has the potential to contribute to our understanding of how to develop viable and sustainable community-clinical linkages for older adult health. Keywords: Randomized controlled trial, Physical activity, Community-clinical linkages, Older adults, Exercise

Objectives To present findings from an expert panel–informed literature review on community-based treatment of late-life depression. Methods A systematic literature review was conducted to appraise publications on community-based interventions for depression in older adults. The search was conducted between March and October 2005. An expert panel of mental health, aging, health services, and epidemiology researchers guided the review and voted on quality and effectiveness of these interventions. Results A total of 3543 articles were found with publication dates from 1967 to October 2005; of these, 116 were eligible for inclusion. Adequate data existed to determine effectiveness for the following interventions: depression care management, group and individual psychotherapy for depression, psychotherapy targeting mental health, psychotherapy for caregivers, education and skills training (to manage health problems besides depression; and for caregivers), geriatric health evaluation and management, exercise, and physical rehabilitation and occupational therapy. After reviewing the data, panelists rated the depression care management interventions as effective. Education and skills training, geriatric health evaluation and management, and physical rehabilitation and occupational therapy received ineffective ratings. Other interventions received mixed effectiveness ratings. Insufficient data availability and poor study quality prevented the panelists from rating several reviewed interventions. Conclusions While several well-described interventions were found to treat depression effectively in community-dwelling older adults, significant gaps still exist. Interventions that did not target depression specifically may be of benefit to older adults, but they should not be presumed to treat depression by themselves. Treating depressed elders may require a multifaceted approach to ensure effectiveness. More research in this area is needed.

Objective To present recommendations for community-based treatment of late-life depression to public health and aging networks. Methods An expert panel of mental health and public health researchers and community-based practitioners in aging was convened in April 2006 to form consensus-based recommendations. When making recommendations, panelists considered feasibility and appropriateness for community-based delivery, as well as strength of evidence on program effectiveness from a systematic literature review of articles published through 2005. Results The expert panel strongly recommended depression care management–modeled interventions delivered at home or at primary care clinics. The panel recommended individual cognitive behavioral therapy. Interventions not recommended as primary treatments for late-life depression included education and skills training, comprehensive geriatric health evaluation programs, exercise, and physical rehabilitation/occupational therapy. There was insufficient evidence for making recommendations for several intervention categories, including group psychotherapy and psychotherapies other than cognitive behavioral therapy. Conclusions This interdisciplinary expert panel determined that recommended interventions should be disseminated throughout the public health and aging networks, while acknowledging the challenges and obstacles involved. Interventions that were not recommended or had insufficient evidence often did not treat depression primarily and/or did not include a clinically depressed sample while attempting to establish efficacy. These interventions may provide other benefits, but should not be presumed to effectively treat depression by themselves. Panelists also identified primary prevention of depression as a much under-studied area. These findings should aid individual clinicians as well as public health decision makers in the delivery of population-based mental health services in diverse community settings.