Research, practice, and policy perspectives on evidence-based programing for older adults.

Abstract

Demographers warn us of the “gray tsunami” approaching our global doorstep (1). Researchers are called upon to document the extent to which the growing burden of chronic conditions impacts America’s aging population and examine the uptake and effectiveness of different intervention approaches for improving the health and well-being of older adults across settings and populations (2). Working in conjunction with researchers, practitioners are asked to develop, adopt, and adapt innovative evidence-based health promotion and disease management programing that can be broadly implemented, disseminated, and sustained as appropriate in community and clinical settings (3, 4). Building on a growing research base and inventory of treatment options, policy makers are charged with identifying and supporting needed care and services that can meet the Triple Aims of health reform (i.e., better health, better health care, and better value) (5, 6). This Research Topic on evidence-based programing for older adults reflects decades of progress by researchers, practitioners, aging service providers, and policy makers working together to understand how to help older adults achieve optimal health and well-being. Such efforts have transformed successful aging from a theoretical concept into an achievable goal (7, 8). The scientific roots of this Research Topic are many, but our (Ory and Smith) personal interest began with the evaluation of the Administration on Aging (AoA)’s national disease prevention initiatives introduced in the 2000s, which will be described in length later in this volume (9–11). With our colleagues in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-funded Healthy Aging Research Network (12, 13), we began documenting the national roll-out of evidence-based programs for older adults.Wewere concernedwithmany issues: (1)whowere themajor stakeholders in this national effort?; (2) what programs were being offered and who they were reaching?; (3) what could we say about the fidelity, dissemination, and sustainability of different programs?; (4) what was known about the impact of different programs in different populations and settings?; and (5) what were the best strategies for advancing the evidence-based movement? As we explored these questions, we realized the need to look beyond single silos or perspectives to understand how researchers, program developers, and policy makers could work together more closely. Such collaborations are essential to develop, promote, and support evidence-based programing that reflects stakeholders’ perspectives and increases the likelihood of being embedded into existing structures. Ideally, evidence-based programs reflect a translation of testable research theories into key intervention elements that resonate with program adopters and intended participants.