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
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
Mitigating COVID-19 and Diabetes Disparities in Blacks and Hispanics: Evaluating the Benefits of Pharmacists, Community Health Workers and Peer Leaders
To determine if adding community health worker support or peer leader support to pharmacist medication management will improve blood glycemic control, medication adherence and COVID-19 knowledge, attitudes and practices compared to pharmacist medication therapy management alone.
Academic Partners: Shiyanbola, Ellis
Community Partners: United Community Center Milwaukee, Serving Older Adults of Southeast Wisconsin, New Testament Central City Church, Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church
Mitigating Racism through Community Led Education (MIRACLE)
Using Community Health Worker engagement to reduce the impact of racial discrimination on the physical and mental wellbeing of blacks and other groups of color. We plan to evaluate how community level racism impacts individual level HTN self-management among persons of color in Milwaukee, Wisconsin by seeking the perspectives of community stakeholders.
Academic Partners: Vivian
Community Partners: UniteWI
Peers LEAD
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
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
Wisconsin Tele-Stories
An phone call intervention designed to engage older adults, increase their sense of purpose, and reduce loneliness.
Academic Partners: Basting
Community Partners: ADRC of Central Wisconsin, ADRC of Brown County, Hmong American Center
Interested in one of these projects? Interested in starting a new project? Contact a Community Research Associate!