What We Do - CAPABLE

CAPABLE is a client-centered home-based intervention to increase mobility, functionality, and capacity to “age in place” for low-income older adults. CAPABLE is comprised of an occupational therapist intervention (R01 AG13687, Gitlin, PI), a client-centered nurse intervention and safety and access handyman services. Each service synergistically builds on the others by increasing the participants’ bio-psycho-functional capacity to function at home. This is theorized to avert costly health utilization by increasing medication management, problem-solving ability, strength, balance, nutrition, and home safety, while decreasing isolation, depression, and fall risk.

CAPABLE is unique because it is patient-centric.  Success is defined by the patient and measured by a nursing/occupational therapist team.  The patient decides on functional goals, such as taking a bath or walking to church, as opposed to medical ones, such as reducing blood sugar or blood pressure level.  CAPABLE breaks down the functional barriers between service providers, allowing a multi-disciplinary approach that best addresses the patients’ need.  We have observed that the change in physical environment motivates a change in the patient’s motivation.