An immersive app to help older adults manage diabetes
Official title: The HOPE App: An Immersive Telehealth Solution for Older Adults with Diabetes
Funded at See Yourself Health, LLC · NIH-10703505 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a new app called the HOPE App, which uses fun virtual reality and games to help older adults with Type 2 diabetes learn how to manage their condition better and make healthier lifestyle choices.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | See Yourself Health, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Beverly, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2021 |
| Project end | July 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $999,391 |
| NIH project number | 5R44AG072990-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-10703505 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are older adults aged 65 and above who are living with Type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not older adults or those without diabetes may not receive any benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research develops the HOPE App, an innovative telehealth solution designed specifically for older adults with Type 2 diabetes. It utilizes virtual reality and social gaming strategies to create an engaging and supportive environment for diabetes self-management education. The app aims to overcome barriers faced by older adults in accessing traditional diabetes education programs, which often have low participation rates. By leveraging new technology, the HOPE App seeks to improve lifestyle changes that can treat and potentially reverse diabetes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could empower older adults to better manage their diabetes, leading to improved health outcomes and quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promise in using technology for diabetes management, but this specific immersive approach is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
See Yourself Health, LLC
Beverly, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Drascher, Maxwell Lee — See Yourself Health, LLC
- Study coordinator: Drascher, Maxwell Lee
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
HEARTS hypertension and diabetes care in Guatemala
This grant tests how well the HEARTS primary care model works in Guatemala to improve blood pressure and blood sugar control for patients.
-
Retinal signals in early diabetes and how they affect vision
This grant looks at how diabetes changes the signals in the retina that control vision, with a focus on inner retinal cells and how these changes may lead to vision problems.
-
Integrated Heart Health: A HEARTS-based approach to hypertension and diabetes in Guatemala
A study tests a team-based, stepwise care model to improve blood pressure and blood sugar control for people with both hypertension and diabetes in Guatemala.
-
Bringing WHO HEARTS-D diabetes care into Bangladesh cities
A program to help urban clinics in Bangladesh adopt WHO HEARTS-D guidelines to improve detection, treatment, and control of type 2 diabetes.
-
AI-powered fundus imaging to screen for type 2 diabetes
A mobile AI tool uses eye images to help screen adults for type 2 diabetes in clinics or communities.
-
AI-powered eye imaging to screen for type 2 diabetes with a mobile phone
A plan to use AI on smartphone retinal images to help spot type 2 diabetes early, especially in people who may not have easy access to care.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.