Aging

October 2013 — The Department of Education’s National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) announced that over $6.4 million has been awarded to varying institutions to support disability research. The grants awarded include Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers and Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers and were awarded to the following institutions:

September 2013 – Wireless RERC Researchers Brian Jones and Carrie Bruce presented at the CDC Grand Rounds, discussing the Grand Rounds’ September theme of “Technology and Health: Aging Safely and More Independently.”  Brian’s discussion, entitled “Researching Technologies for Healthy Aging,” focused on technologies available for assisting older adults in living independently, while Carrie spoke on the applications of universal design in comparison with assistive devices in her discussion entitled “Supportive Design Strategies to Facilitate Function, Independence, and Safety.”

August 2013 — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) announced that the two organizations will partner to ensure that older Americans have better access to service and resources for emergency preparedness, response and recovery. The new effort will include expanded “social media outreach, and training and exercise, and evaluation opportunities.” Although, AARP has historically implemented emergency preparedness and response programs, the organization hopes the partnership will expand their role in the community.

June 10, 2013 — The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) has announced a final priority and award application for a Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Promoting Healthy Aging for Individuals with Long-Term Physical Disabilities. As noted by NIDRR in the proposed priority, “aging with disability is now a common experience of individuals with disabilities,” and addressing this issue requires providing, financing and evaluating the effectiveness of health care services.