What is this project about?
People with disabilities often use long-term support services to remain independent. Long-term support services are offered by Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and Centers for Independent Living (CILs).
We know that formal networks of community-based health-care providers are able to improve access to health services. Creating a formalized network of AAAs and CILs—a community-based research network—may help increase communication and reduce gaps in the delivery of services to people aging with disabilities.
Project goals
- Form a community-based research network in Missouri that represents urban and rural communities and serves a diverse population.
- Begin our first research study.
- Continue running research studies and make sure that CILs and AAAs are able to use the results.
Status
The community-based research network made up of regional AAAs and CILs, the Missouri Aging and Disability Research Network (MADRN), has been formed.
MADRN has helped refine and recruit participants for our cohort study (Project 2), provided feedback on the development of the REBIL program (Project 3) and has helped recruit participants to test the program (Project 4). The network has also given member organizations the chance to share resources across the network to provide information to their participants, including webinars and a compilation of COVID-related resources offered by MADRN members.
For more information about how we formed the community-based research network, see our paper “Development and Implementation of a Community-Based Research Network.”