Building Interdisciplinary Geriatric Health Care Research
Centers Initiative

By 2010, more than 6 million people in the United States will be age 85 or older, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That figure jumps to more than 20 million by 2050, when the entire U.S. population is predicted to surpass 400 million. As the population ages, researchers across the country are targeting efforts that will ensure a safe, healthy and enjoyable life experience for elderly Americans. Recently, a team of University of Missouri-Columbia researchers received a $200,000 grant from the John A. Hartford Foundation and The RAND (Research and Development) Corporation to create the RAND/Hartford Interdisciplinary Geriatric Health Care Research Center. Dr. Marilyn Rantz of the Sinclair School of Nursing and Dr. Steven Zweig of the School of Medicine are the principal investigators for the project.

"While the center has been in operation as the Interdisciplinary Center for Aging for a short while, this new grant will allow us to enhance our mission to encourage more research in aging. Aging is no longer just a medicine or nursing field. Currently, our center includes nearly 80 faculty members representing 11 schools and colleges across campus.” said David Oliver, assistant director of the center. “MU excels in interdisciplinary work, so relevant to addressing the needs of elderly persons. This experience helped us compete successfully with major universities across the country for this funding," added Steven Zweig.

While the grant will encourage additional research including three pilot research studies promoting quality of life for the elderly. These projects include a technology research project studying how motion sensors can alert nursing home administrators to problems with residents, a project investigating ways to prevent falls in elderly people, and a project studying end-of-life issues in an effort to improve end-of-life care for nursing home residents and other elderly people.

In addition to the research, the center is responsible for two graduate level courses on physical and psycho-social function, which are major themes for the center. Monthly seminars on aging, which are open to the public, also will take place. Center officials will also distribute small research enrichment grants to MU faculty. In the first year, the center expects to distribute up to $48,000 in grants.

The MU Interdisciplinary Center for Aging was created in January 2006 with collaborations across the campus. Projects on aging include Tiger Place, an aging-in-place retirement facility led by the Sinclair School of Nursing in collaboration with Americare, the Senior Assessment and Geriatric Evaluation Clinic in family and community medicine, and The Health Connection, a research, exercise and training facility for older adults run by the School of Health Professions in collaboration with Stephens College.

Founded in 1929, the John A. Hartford Foundation is a committed champion of training, research, and service system innovations that promote the health and independence of America's older adults.

For more information, contact:
Steven C. Zweig, MD, MSPH

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