SRPH receives senior program evaluation grant

(COLLEGE STATION, TX) — The U.S. Administration on Aging in the Department of Health and Human Services recently awarded Marcia Ory, Ph.D., M.P.H., Regents Professor in the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Rural Public Health, a $900,000 grant to develop a nationwide evaluation of evidence-based programs for seniors.

The three-year evaluation will provide the Administration on Aging with a recommended plan to use in collaboration with the National Association of State Units on Aging, National Association of Area Agencies on Aging and aging services provider organizations throughout the country.

“Our intent is to mobilize key stakeholders to define and implement a nationwide evaluation effort with input from the aging services network, public health arena and health care sector, ultimately leading to the enhancement of seniors’ health and well-being,” Dr. Ory said.

These activities will be coordinated with the Healthy Aging Research Network, a public health and aging research network supported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Under the leadership of Joseph Sharkey, Ph.D., M.P.H., R.D., associate professor in the HSC-School of Rural Public Health, the health science center is home to one of nine networks in the nation working to identify, test and disseminate effective community-based programs for research translation and dissemination.

The national evaluation will be helpful in guiding future policy decisions and will focus on assessing evidence-based programs, identifying strengths and gaps in reaching aging populations with these programs, recommending a nationwide evaluation plan, and identifying key players/areas of expertise.