Advancing Geriatrics Infrastructure and Network Growth (AGING) Initiative

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT:The HCSRN-OAICs AGING Initiative seeks an administrative supplement (PA-18-591/NOT-AG-20-022) toR33AG057806 to address pressing research questions related to prevention, control, management, andtreatment of COVID-19 in nursing homes, such as: What are the characteristics of the small to modest-sizedclusters of nursing homes that are associated with the AGING Initiative partners?; What COVID-19 relatedresearch questions, with direct applicability to the care and well-being of nursing home residents, would be ofthe highest priority and most amenable to study in the context of the ongoing pandemic?; What are the currentbarriers and challenges to conducting COVID-19 related research in nursing homes?; and What steps wouldbe required to create a nursing home clinical trials network comprised of the small to modest-sized clusters ofnursing homes that are associated with the AGING Initiative partners? The "Advancing Geriatrics Infrastructureand Network Growth" (AGING) Initiative brings together the Health Care Systems Research Network (HCSRN)and the OAICs to advance an interdisciplinary research agenda focused on older adults with multiple chronicconditions (MCCs). The specific aims under the AGING Initiative R33 are: (1) to expand on and further developinnovative methods related to measurement and analytics, observational research, and pragmatic clinical trialdesign and implementation, to inform the development and testing of novel interventions that improve the careand outcomes of older persons with MCCs; (2) to foster the career development and success of new and early-stage investigators, including underrepresented minorities; (3) to create a new core function as part of anelaborated infrastructure that promotes patient-centered research by engaging patients and care partners in allstages of the research process; and (4) to fund a series of "P-2-R" ("Pilot-to-R award") grants. The proposedadministrative supplement builds on the parent project (R33AG057806) by: (1) addressing a research topic ofvital relevance to older adults with multiple chronic conditions (MCCs) - the devastating impact of novelcoronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) in nursing homes; (2) assessing new methods and approaches addressingresearch questions relevant to older adults with MCCs; (3) promoting new collaborations and partnerships toadvance the science of MCCs; and (4) encouraging research that will ultimately translate into the delivery ofhigher quality care for vulnerable populations including residents of nursing homes.