biostudies-literatureUnknown5(Suppl 1)Struble LAbstract The Internet-Based Conversational Engagement Clinical Trial (I-CONECT, ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02871921) is a multi-center randomized, 12-month efficacy study. There is converging evidence that social isolation is a risk factor of cognitive decline and dementia. We hypothesized that increasing social interaction in older adults with normal cognition or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) could improve or sustain cognitive function through internet-based conversational engagement. African Americans (AA) are at higher risk for developing dementia but their participation in clinical trials is low. Objectives: (1) discuss the effective outreach process to recruit urban AA older old adults (mean targeted age of 80+); (2) describe how we retained participants in a yearlong study using technoInnovation in aging628-628https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8968699biostudies-literatureNot out-of-reach: Engaging the older old isolated African Americans with and without MCIPMC8968699Hampstead BPedroza JPotempa KEllis ALichtenberg PDodge HStruble LfalseNot out-of-reach: Engaging the older old isolated African Americans with and without MCIAbstract The Internet-Based Conversational Engagement Clinical Trial (I-CONECT, ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02871921) is a multi-center randomized, 12-month efficacy study. There is converging evidence that social isolation is a risk factor of cognitive decline and dementia. We hypothesized that increasing social interaction in older adults with normal cognition or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) could improve or sustain cognitive function through internet-based conversational engagement. African Americans (AA) are at higher risk for developing dementia but their participation in clinical trials is low. Objectives: (1) discuss the effective outreach process to recruit urban AA older old adults (mean targeted age of 80+); (2) describe how we retained participants in a yearlong study using techno2021-01-01T00:00:00Z2021 Jan2025-04-26T13:05:53.425Z2025-04-06T14:07:12.544ZS-EPMC8968699