Research Projects

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)

A behavior change intervention to help older adults reduce risk factors for cognitive decline

Academic Partners: Bratzke

Community Partners: Winnebago County Public Health

Looking at the impact of behavioral technology on chronic conditions.

Academic Partners: Gustafson

Community Partners:

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, Mt Zion Baptist Church, Grandmothers Raising Their Children’s Children

A community-based hypertension management intervention using Community Health Workers (CHW) engagement to reduce the impact of racial discrimination on the physical and mental wellbeing of Blacks and other groups of color.

Academic Partners: Vivian, Ehrenthal

Community Partners: UniteMKE

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

Using Smart Devices to Implement an Evidence-based eHealth System for Older Adults

Academic Partners: Gustafson, Mares

Community Partners:

Improving 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 Peer Leader education. In addition to the current diabetes self-management topics covered in HLWD group sessions, the adapted program will include 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: UniteWI, Serving Older Adults of Southeast Wisconsin, Mt Zion Baptist Church, Ebenezer Ministry & Family Worship Center, The Guest House (of Milwaukee), True Love Church, Rebalanced Life Wellness Association, Second Baptist Church, Gee’s Clippers Barber and Beauty Salon

A Spanish version of the Stepping On falls reduction program

Academic Partners: Mahoney and Mora Pinzon

Community Partners: United Community Center Milwaukee, Centro Hispano, North/Eastside Senior Coalition (NESCO), Hispanic Health Resource Center (HHRC) at ProHealth Care, Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance,

(Prev Lighten Up) A group-based wellness program for older adults, using positive journaling to increase well-being (decrease depression and improve mental health)

Academic Partners: Ryff, Mahoney, Friedman, Barrett

Community Partners: ADRC of Kenosha County, ADRC of Brown County, Rock County Council on Aging, ADRC of Central Wisconsin, Milwaukee County Dept of Aging, Hayward Senior Resource Center

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

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

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 development and pilot study.

Academic Partners: Mahoney

Community Partners: ADRC of Adams, Green Lake, and Waushara, Dane County Area Agency on Aging, Milwaukee County Dept. of Aging, Rock County Council on Aging

Working with mildly cognitively impaired veterans to promote fall-preventing activities.

Academic Partners: Fischer

Community Partners: Green Bay VA

Testing a virtual adaptation for multicultural communities.

Academic Partners: Columna

Community Partners: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Division of Extension

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, UniteWI, and Gerald L Ignace Indian Health Center, Walker’s Point, Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers

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