Healthy Aging Across the Disability Spectrum: A Quick Look at NIDILRR-Funded Projects for Older Americans Month

Thanks to innovations in rehabilitation, assistive technology, and health care, people with disabilities are living longer, fuller lives. Many older adults are experiencing age-related health conditions, such as arthritis and cardiovascular disease. Others may experience changes related to their disability as they get older. Caregivers, too, may be experiencing their own health-related changes.

As we continue through Older American Month, we are exploring some of the current NIDILRR-funded research and development projects focused on older adults with disabilities. We highlight projects across the spectrum of the disability experience that look at how older adults with disabilities’ health changes with age as well as develop programs and interventions to help them champion their health.

Cognitive Disabilities

Enhancing Neurocognitive Health, Abilities, Networks and Community Engagement (ENHANCE II) explores how technology can support the ability of older adults with cognitive disabilities to successfully engage in daily living and community activities. Among this project’s activities are developing an intelligent cognitive coaching system for everyday tasks and exploring the potential of Extended Reality (XR) to enhance engagement in daily activities.

Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Can You Hear Us Now? Engaging Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) in Health Research conducts research that contributes to improving the long-term health-related function and quality of life outcomes for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), leading to a stronger voice for self-advocation by adults with IDD in health research.

Mental Health/Psychiatric Disabilities

Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Aging Among Adults with Serious Mental Illnesses conducts a coordinated program of research and knowledge translation activities that builds an evidence base on enhancing late life for adults with serious mental illnesses and promotes its use, including developing and evaluating interventions that are likely to improve their health and community living.

Physical disabilities

Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Health and Function of People Aging with Physical Disability investigates how personal and environmental factors, lapses in attendant care, and secondary health conditions impact the independence of people with physical disabilities as they age and develops an intervention package to support them as they transition to older adulthood.

Caregivers

Family Support Research and Training Center (FSRTC) to Bridge Aging and Disability bridges aging and disability across the life course to advance family support and promotes promising and evidence-informed practices for family caregivers across all stakeholder groups, such as WAVE Program: Wellness Action Via Engagement for Older Family Caregivers, an intervention to promote physical activity and improve physical and psychosocial well-being for older family caregivers.

These projects are just a small sample of the important work happening in the NIDILRR grantee community. You can explore more current projects, as well as more than 40 years of completed research, in the NIDILRR Program Database on our website or contact an information specialist for assistance.