Community-Academic Aging Research Network

CAARN

Jill Ballard, MPH, CHESSeptember 2011

Why is community-based aging research so important?

• Graying of the population• Nationwide lack of preparedness to meet

the health care needs of aging “boomers”– IOM, 2008

County figures from State Aging Plan showing graying of population: 2010

County figures from State Aging Plan showing graying of population: 2030

Why is community-based aging research so important?

• High cost of disease among older adults– Falls: total direct cost of $19 billion (2000)

• Estimated up to $54.9 billion in 2020– Physical inactivity, sarcopenia, osteoporosis

• 32% of adults over 65 engage in no leisure time physical activity• Sarcopenia costs estimated at $18.5 billion (2000)• Osteoporosis affects 10 million adults over age 50, with cost of

$18 billion per year– Chronic disease

• 80% of older persons have at least 1 chronic condition; 50% have at least 2

• Cost estimated at $470 billion (1995); estimated at $864 billion by 2040

Community-Academic Aging Research Network (CAARN)3 year grant from NIH (July 2010-June 2013)

CAARN grant specific aims• Create a sustainable infrastructure, the Community-

Academic Aging Research Network (CAARN), to bridge university and community entities to increase clinical and dissemination research in aging;

• Provide training programs, venues for networking, resources, and internet network structure, in order to facilitate engagement in aging research;

• Increase from Year One to Year Three: a) the number of aging network-academic researcher partnerships engaging in aging research; b) the number of intramurally and extramurally funded proposals for community-based clinical and dissemination aging research; and c) the health of older adults in Wisconsin participating in research studies conducted through this infrastructure.

CAARN continued…

• Priorities for partnerships based on State Public Health Plan, State Aging Plan, and UW research strengths– Falls, physical activity and musculoskeletal health,

dementia, chronic disease management, mental health

What makes CAARN unique• Community Research Associate• State of Wisconsin Aging Network as community partner• Building on history of partnering in research and

dissemination• Active involvement at all stages of partnership and

project development, implementation, evaluation, dissemination – long term partnerships!

• Provides the structure to disseminate programs that have been shown to be efficacious

• CAARN is part of the Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging (WIHA)

Aging Network Overview

Greater Wisconsin Agency on Aging Resources (GWAAR)

70 County Aging Units

Aging & Disability Resource Centers

Local Community Senior Centers & other local, state, and regional community organizations

11 Tribal Aging Units

Milwaukee County Area Agency on Aging (also a county aging unit and aging resource center)

Dane County Area Agency on Aging (also a county aging unit)

Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Bureau of Aging and Disability Resources

Aging Network

• Federal funding for community-base “titled” services through Older Americans Act

• State funding through Elders Act, in Wisconsin Statute• Mandated services

– Supportive Services (legal, financial, information and assistance)– Congregate and home delivered nutrition– Health promotion programs– Caregiver support

CAARN Process

• Assess researcher areas of expertise/research interests

• Assess community health need as well as organization need, interest, and readiness

• Match researchers with community organizations• Facilitate initial conference call/meeting• Go through application process• Facilitate application for funding and pilot project

development• In the future: facilitate project

Current CAARN projects

• Well-being/mental health– status: partnership developed, funded, project implementation

• Medication management to decrease falls risk– status: partnership developed, intervention developed, funded,

project implementation• Virtual exercise program

– status: partnership developed, applying for pilot funding• Health literacy/communication with pharmacists

– status: partnership developed, funded, project implementation• Bone health

– status: partnership developed, applying for pilot funding

Others: initial discussions and partnership matching

Community Academic Aging Research Network CAARN Aging Network partnerships through August 2011

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WashburnBurnett

DouglasBayfield

Sawyer

Ashland Iron

Vilas

OneidaPrice

Polk Barron Rusk

ChippewaSt. Croix DunnTaylor

LincolnLanglade

Forest Florence

Marinette

OcontoClarkMarathon

Shawano

WoodPortage Waupaca

Menominee

DoorKewauneeBrown

Pierce

PepinBuffalo Tremp -

ealeau

Eau Claire

La CrosseMonroe

JuneauAdams

Waushara

Outagamie

Manitowoc

SaukVernon

Crawford

Richland

GrantIowa

Lafayette Green Rock WalworthKenosha

Racine

WashingtonOzaukee

Columbia

Dane

Jefferson

Dodge

Milwaukee

Fond du LacMarquette

Green-Lake

WinnebagoJackson

Waukesha

Calu met

KeyActive Discussions

Active Project Planning

Funded Projects

Sheboygan

Keys to Success

• Connecting - matching research expertise with community need and organizational implementation capacity

• Training - bidirectional - highest need from our experience so far

• Facilitation of relationships at all levels– active participation in formulating research questions,

designing, and conducting research; – translation and application of research findings to

community-based practice and public health initiatives; – using research-generated evidence to support public

health policy decisions.

Long-term goal

• Develop a sustainable Community-Academic Aging Research Network that will facilitate partnerships between University of Wisconsin researchers and the State of Wisconsin aging networkin order to expand and accelerate transformation of aging research into practice in community settings.