Lauren Abbate MD, PhD

Title: Director RMRVAMC Geriatric Emergency Department

Contact: lauren.abbate@cuanschutz.edu | lauren.abbate@va.gov

University of Colorado webpage

GeroFit
GeroFit is a supervised exercise program for older Veterans. Participants receive a personal exercise program based on their physical profile and goals, which can include individual and group-based exercises such as Tai Chi, line dancing, balance, core coordination, and strengthening classes. Trained exercise staff provide guidance in carrying out the exercise program. Participants have demonstrated improved health, physical function and well-being. They have shown improvements in blood pressure, diabetes management, symptom management, well-being, quality of life, physical function, overall fitness, and longevity.

Research Interest

Evidence-based exercise interventions for Veterans with knee osteoarthritis
Non-pharmacological interventions for managing chronic diseases (specifically arthritis) in older adults. 

Grants & Funding

Expanding Exercise Programming for Veterans Through Telehealth

Exercise is an evidence-based intervention for managing chronic conditions, yet the majority of Veterans are inactive. Group telehealth (GT) delivered exercise can improve access to and participation in exercise. 
Telehealth-delivered exercise programs typically have initiation and maintenance phases. Skills for exercise initiation and maintenance differ, and interventions that focus on one or the other are not likely to result in sustained exercise participation. 
The Veterans Health Administration is the largest integrated health care system in the US, and implementing successful exercise programs could profoundly impact public health. 
GT exercise combines the benefits of group exercise sessions, such as social support and telehealth technology. No studies compare GT exercise booster sessions plus text messaging to text messaging alone to support exercise maintenance. 
Gerofit, an existing telehealth-delivered VA exercise program implemented at multiple sites, will be used as a model. A future larger, single-site trial will test the effectiveness and evaluate the implementation of the GT exercise initiation and maintenance intervention.
Funder: Veterans Administration
NIH website
VA HSR&D website

Recent Publications

2024

Abbate LM, Jordan SR, Ho PM, Matlock DD, Allen KD, Wherry S, Wellington T, Buxo ZJ, Richardson V, McGuire C, Pearson M, Hall KS, Nearing KA. Older Veterans' perspectives on participation in a clinical exercise program: A qualitative study of the VA Gerofit exercise program. SAGE Open Med. 2024 Aug 27;12:20503121241271759. doi: 10.1177/20503121241271759. PMID: 39206229; PMCID: PMC11350545.

Rauzi, Michelle R. PT, DPT, ATC; Olivos, Maegan E. PT, DPT, GCS, MPH; Currier, Deborah L. PTA, MEd; Abbate, Lauren M. MD, PhD; Lum, Hillary D. MD, PhD; Stevens-Lapsley, Jennifer E. PT, PhD. Emergency Management During Telehealth: Planning and Procedures for Patient Safety in the Virtual Landscape. Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation 39(4):p 266-279, October/December 2023. | DOI: 10.1097/TGR.0000000000000410

Webb S, Drake C, Coffman CJ, Sullivan C, Sperber N, Tucker M, Zullig LL, Hughes JM, Kaufman BG, Pura JA, Anderson L, Hastings SN, Van Houtven CH, Abbate LM, Hoenig H, Ballengee LA, Wang V, Allen KD. Group physical therapy for knee osteoarthritis: protocol for a hybrid type III effectiveness-implementation trial. Implement Sci Commun. 2023 Oct 12;4(1):125. doi: 10.1186/s43058-023-00502-7. PMID: 37828564; PMCID: PMC10571277.

2023

Webb S, Drake C, Coffman CJ, Sullivan C, Sperber N, Tucker M, Zullig LL, Hughes JM, Kaufman BG, Pura JA, Anderson L, Hastings SN, Van Houtven CH, Abbate LM, Hoenig H, Ballengee LA, Wang V, Allen KD. Group physical therapy for knee osteoarthritis: protocol for a hybrid type III effectiveness-implementation trial. Implement Sci Commun. 2023 Oct 12;4(1):125. doi: 10.1186/s43058-023-00502-7. PMCID: PMC10571277. PMID: 37828564

Rauzi MR, Abbate LM, Lum HD, Cook PF, Stevens-Lapsley JE. Multicomponent telerehabilitation programme for older veterans with multimorbidity: a programme evaluation. BMJ Mil Health. 2023 Sep 14:e002535. doi: 10.1136/military-2023-002535. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37709508

Rauzi MR, Mealer ML, Abbate LM, Stevens-Lapsley JE, Nearing KA. Older Veterans' Experiences of a Multicomponent Telehealth Program: Qualitative Program Evaluation Study. JMIR Form Res. 2023 Sep 8;7:e46081. doi: 10.2196/46081. PMID: 37682595

Buck AN, Vincent HK, Newman CB, Batsis JA, Abbate LM, Huffman KF, Bodley J, Vos N, Callahan LF, Shultz SP. Evidence-Based Dietary Practices to Improve Osteoarthritis Symptoms: An Umbrella Review. Nutrients. 2023 Jul 6;15(13):3050. doi: 10.3390/nu15133050. PMCID: PMC10347206. PMID: 37447376

Abbate LM, Ollerenshaw LV, Kottmeyer BM, McQuown CM, Ragsdale LC, Richardson VL, Ho PM, Ginde AA, O'Malley SM. Integrating Physical Therapy into an Emergency Department: A Clinical Pilot Program. Acad Emerg Med. 2023 Mar 13. doi: 10.1111/acem.14707. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36912801

2022

Fernandez D, Wilkins SS, Melrose RJ, Hall KM, Abbate LM, Morey MC, Castle SC, Zeng A, Lee CC. Physical Function Effects of Live Video Group Exercise Interventions for Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Veteran's Gerofit Group Case Study. Telemed J E Health. 2022 Nov 10. doi: 10.1089/tmj.2022.0175. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36355076

McQuown CM, Snell KT, Abbate LM, Jetter EM, Blatnik JK, Ragsdale LC. Telehealth for Geriatric Post Emergency Department Visit to Promote Age Friendly Care. Health Serv Res. 2022 Aug 28. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.14058. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36054025

Buck AN, Shultz SP, Huffman KF, Vincent HK, Batsis JA, Newman CB, Beresic N, Abbate LM, Callahan LF. Mind the Gap: Exploring Nutritional Health Compared With Weight Management Interests of Individuals with Osteoarthritis. Curr Dev Nutr. 2022 Apr 19;6(6):nzac084. doi: 10.1093/cdn/nzac084. PMCID: PMC9188467. PMID: 35702382