Research Focus Areas
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Multiple Chronic Conditions
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Health Disparities
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Improving Function / Well-Being
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Caregiver Support
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Mental Health
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Dementia
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Fall Prevention
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Medication Management
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Physical Activity, Muscle and Bone Health
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Communication with Health Care Provider
Completed Research Projects
Projects that have been developed and tested with CAARN’s support and have been proven to be effective (ie. evidence-based) and are now being disseminated broadly.
Current Projects:
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Beneficial Bites
An intervention designed to help older people overcome barriers to good nutrition
Academic Partners: Gretebeck, Gretebeck
Community Partners: ADRC of Barron County; Greater Wisconsin Agency on Aging Resources (GWAAR)
Brain Health Intervention
A behavior change intervention to help older adults reduce risk factors for cognitive decline
Academic Partners: Bratzke
Community Partners: Winnebago County Public Health
Cycling for Seniors
An in-home cycling intervention for rural older adults
Academic Partners: Pickett
Community Partners: ADRC of Polk and Burnett County; UW Superior
HelpCare Connect
A web-based application to connect family and friend caregivers around the care of an individual person with Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias.
Academic Partners: Warner
Community Partners: ADRC of Brown, Portage, Dane, Eau Claire, Ozaukee, Outagamie, Milwaukee, Sheboygan, and Manitowoc Counties; Clark County Department of Aging; Barron County Office on Aging; Sawyer County Department of Aging; Milwaukee County Department on Aging
HOPE: Healthy Outcomes through Peer Educators
A lifestyle change program to reduce the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes in mothers, grandmothers, and their (grand)children.
Academic Partners: Vivian
Community Partners: UniteMKE, African American Health Network (AAHN)
Lighten Up
A group-based wellness intervention for older adults, using positive journaling to increase well-being (decrease depression and improve mental health)
Academic Partners: Barrett, Friedman, Ryff, Mahoney, and Chiara Ruini
Community Partners: ADRC of Kenosha County, Rock County Aging Unit, ADRC of Brown County, Milwaukee County Depart on Aging, ADRC of Adams, Green Lake, and Waushara County, Sawyer County Aging Unit
MedWise
A community-based self-efficacy intervention to improve older adults’ ability to communicate with pharmacists (medication management)
Academic Partners: Martin, Chewning
Community Partners: ADRC of Portage County; ADRC of Adams, Green Lake, and Waushara Counties; ADRC of Calumet, Outagamie, and Waupaca Counties; Oakwood Village
Peers LEADing Peers to Improve Diabetes Medication Adherence and Diabetes Self-Management among African Americans
An intervention that adapts the Healthy Living with Diabetes (HLWD) program for African American Communities by incorporating Peers LEAD. In addition to the current diabetes self-management topics covered in HLWD group sessions, the adapted program will include components of Peers LEAD (group discussions regarding beliefs about medicines and diabetes and provider communication/mistrust, as well as one-on-one phone-based peer support from an African American with type 2 diabetes who can positively model medication use and discuss culturally specific self-management topics).
Academic Partners: Shiyanbola
Community Partners: UniteMKE, Center for Community Engagement and Health Partnerships (CCEHP)
Pisando Fuerte
A Spanish version of the Stepping On falls reduction program
Academic Partners: Mahoney and Mora Pinzon
Community Partners: UCC Milwaukee, Centro Hispano, North/Eastside Senior Coalition (NESCO)
Riding in the Moment
An equine-assisted activity program to enhance the quality of life for individuals with dementia
Academic Partners: Fields
Community Partners: Three Gaits, Inc., BEAMING, Inc., Hearts & Horses, Aging and Disability Resource Center of Winnebago County, and Stoughton Senior Center
Stand Up and Move More (SUMM)
A sedentary behavior reduction program which educates older adults to stand more often and for longer duration throughout the day.
Academic Partners: Koltyn
Community Partners: Rock County Council on Aging, Vilas County Commission on Aging, ADRC of Southwest WI (Iowa County), North/Eastside Senior Coalition (NESCO), ADRC of Adams, Green Lake, Marquette, and Waushara Counties
Stepping Online
(Keep On Stepping On): An online intervention to improve adherence and maintenance of fall-preventing behaviors in older adults following completion of the Stepping On falls prevention program.
Academic Partners: Mahoney, Wise, Heiderscheit, Gustafson, Wenker, Gretebeck, Clemson
Community Partners: Milwaukee County Area Agency on Aging, Dane County Area Agency on Aging, ADRC of Adams, Green Lake, Marquette, and Waushara
Stepping Out
An intervention utilizing the Stepping On program for mildly cognitively impaired veterans to promote fall-preventing activities.
Academic Partners: Fischer, Mahoney, Clemson
Community Partners: Green Bay VA
Swallowing
An intervention assessing dysphagia risk among state nutrition program recipients.
Academic Partners: Pulia
Community Partners: ADRCs of Dodge, Washington, and Waukesha Counites; WI Department of Health Services, Bureau of Aging and Disability Resources, GWAAR
Tai Chi Prime for Multi-Cultural Communities
An adapted version of Tai chi Prime to be non-verbal being tested with the African American, Hispanic, and Native American populations.
Academic Partners: Hallisy, Chewning, Wesson
Community Partners: CORE El Centro, UniteMKE, and Gerald L Ignace Indian Health Center
Yoga for Seniors (Y4S)
An intervention to determine the effect of yoga adapted for seniors on physical function, balance, and physical activity.
Academic Partners: Pickett
Community Partners: Sawyer County, Pepin County, Columbia County, ADRC of Southwest Wisconsin (Grant, Green, Iowa, and Lafayette Counties)
Interested in one of these projects? Interested in starting a new project? Contact a Community Research Associate!