Edward R. Roybal Center for Translational Research
on Chronic Disease Self-Management Among Vulnerable Older Adults

The Indiana University Center for Aging Research (IUCAR) is home to a National Institute on Aging Edward R. Roybal Center for Research on Applied Gerontology. Funded in 2004, IU-Roybal's primary objective is

The number of older and chronically ill adults will increase markedly in the coming two decades. Growth in the number of older adults and continued improvement in medical care will allow more individuals to live longer with chronic disease.

In an attempt to prepare for the health care of these older adults, researchers have begun generating new models for health care that promise to improve efficiency and outcomes in chronic illness care. These models universally recognize the central role of patients in managing their illness.

Patient self-management education involves
the teaching of skills for problem identification and problem solving
and is also now a recommended method of education in chronic care.

• Education and support of self-management has the potential to lessen burden of illness and reduce health disparities.
• Studies of self-management education and support have shown promise for improving health outcomes and decreasing health services costs.
• Translation of self-management programs is needed for this research to achieve broad reach and contribute to the Healthy People 2010 goals of reducing health disparities and improving quality of life.

 

The Edward R. Roybal Centers for Research on Applied Gerontology were authorized by Congress in 1993 and named for former House Select Committee on Aging Chair Edward R. Roybal (1916-2005).
    The Centers are designed to move promising social and behavioral basic research findings out of the laboratory and into programs, practices and policies that will improve the lives of older people and the capacity of society to adapt to societal aging.

IU-Roybal builds upon our twelve-year history of support to IUCAR from the NIA in building a research program focused on improving the quality of life of vulnerable older adults. We seek to transform our program into a national resource for improving self-management education and support for vulnerable older adults.