# Voice-Activated Technology to Improve Mobility & Reduce Health Disparities: EngAGEing African American Older Adult-Care Partner Dyads

> **NIH NIH P50** · UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO · 2022 · $695,877

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Physical activity is essential for all age groups, across all comorbidities and geriatric syndromes; it has been
described as the ‘ideal’ intervention for preserving functional independence during aging. Physical activity
interventions have repeatedly been shown to improve frailty and physical performance, and to prevent mobility
disability and death among high-risk older adults. Multimorbid, homebound, older adults face substantial
physiologic and functional challenges and structural barriers to maintaining physical activity over time.
Multimorbidity is more severe and more prevalent among African-Americans over their lifespan, and they
experience more accelerated aging than any other race in the US. Disrupted physiology, the need for assistance
to leave home, reliance on care partners who have limited training or tools to provide support, and lack of
coverage for long-term exercise services in the home prohibit exercise participation in this vulnerable group most
likely to experience functional gains from interventions. Increasing physical activity among multimorbid,
homebound older adults requires a shift in interventions to target the older adult-care partner dyads and to test
innovative vehicles for remote intervention delivery. We developed a socially-motivated exercise tool targeting
multimorbid, African-American, homebound older adults and their care partners called EngAGE that leverages
voice-activated technology. EngAGE was co-designed with targeted users through iterative participatory design
methodology. Following a successful feasibility study providing preliminary evidence of effectiveness, we now
propose a randomized, in-home, efficacy trial of EngAGE (intervention) versus paper exercise handouts (usual
care) in n=124 multimorbid, African-American, homebound older adult-care partner dyads. Over 7 million U.S.
older adults cannot easily reach health services outside of the home and >34.2 million informal U.S. caregivers
support their care without guidance. Results from this proposal will demonstrate the effectiveness of a novel,
scalable program promoting exercise among this difficult-to-reach group of older adults while supporting the care
partners with critical tools.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10494191
- **Project number:** 5P50MD017349-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Megan J Huisingh-Scheetz
- **Activity code:** P50 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $695,877
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-09-24 → 2026-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10494191

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10494191, Voice-Activated Technology to Improve Mobility & Reduce Health Disparities: EngAGEing African American Older Adult-Care Partner Dyads (5P50MD017349-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10494191. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*