The overall goal of the Boston Roybal Center (BRC) is to develop and test behavior change strategies to promote healthy aging, especially among adults at high risk for poor health outcomes. It is widely known that physical activity is broadly beneficial for physical, psychological, and cognitive aspects of health. However, the number of middle-aged and older adults who are regularly active remains low. The BRC will engage in the translation of research evidence to interventions that motivate and support sustained increases in physical activity. We selected the thematic focus: """"""""Novel interventions exploiting the malleability or plasticity of biobehavioral risk mechanisms associated with adverse aging outcomes"""""""" to guide our work.
The specific aims of the project are to: 1) Conduct innovative translational research consistent with the Center theme and based on solid research evidence from the social and behavioral sciences to increase physical activity in middle-aged and older adults;2) Advance theory and empirical findings on behavior change processes and mechanisms that can be translated for use in intervention studies to promote healthy aging;3) Facilitate innovative interdisciplinary work across five Boston-area institutions under the leadership of the Management and Administrative Core and the Pilot Core. The project includes a number of innovative mechanisms applied to our work. It recognizes the multiple influences on human behavior and applies a unique multicomponent model of behavior change utilizing social support and self-regulatory processes. It takes a personalized approach to behavior change with a focus on setting meaningful goals and promoting self-efficacy and positive affect. It will target underserved populations of middle-aged and elderly adults at risk for poor health outcomes. To facilitate this we will partner with community organizations serving vulnerable middle-aged and older adults to inform and benefit from the research and activities of the Center. It uses a common core of behavioral measures that will enable us to compare different pilot study interventions and continually enrich and expand the conceptual framework. The BRC has successfully engaged an interdisciplinary team of investigators who bring the extensive resources of five universities and multiple professional perspectives to the Center. Ultimately, we will use the information gained from the pilot projects to refine the techniques and will design and test full scale interventions designed to improve health and quality of life among middle-aged and older adults.

Public Health Relevance

Physical activity is a promising non-pharmacological, non-invasive, and cost-effective method of health-promotion, however, only a small percentage of middle-aged and older adults engage in it regularly. The Boston Roybal Center will develop and test interventions to increase and sustain an active lifestyle, to promote health and well-being, especially among those who are at risk for poor health outcomes.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
Center Core Grants (P30)
Project #
1P30AG048785-01
Application #
8793928
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZAG1)
Program Officer
King, Jonathan W
Project Start
2014-09-30
Project End
2019-05-31
Budget Start
2014-09-30
Budget End
2015-05-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2014
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Brandeis University
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
City
Waltham
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02453
Robinson, Stephanie A; Lachman, Margie E (2018) Daily Control Beliefs and Cognition: The Mediating Role of Physical Activity. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci :
Shi, Sandra; Afilalo, Jonathan; Lipsitz, Lewis A et al. (2018) Frailty Phenotype and Deficit Accumulation Frailty Index in Predicting Recovery After Transcatheter and Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci :
Lo, On-Yee; Conboy, Lisa A; Rukhadze, Alexandra et al. (2018) In the Eyes of Those Who Were Randomized: Perceptions of Disadvantaged Older Adults in a Tai Chi Trial. Gerontologist :
Matz-Costa, Christina; Howard, Elizabeth P; Castaneda-Sceppa, Carmen et al. (2018) Peer-Based Strategies to Support Physical Activity Interventions for Older Adults: A Typology, Conceptual Framework, and Practice Guidelines. Gerontologist :
Robinson, Stephanie A; Lachman, Margie E (2018) Perceived control and cognition in adulthood: The mediating role of physical activity. Psychol Aging 33:769-781
Lachman, Margie E; Lipsitz, Lewis; Lubben, James et al. (2018) When Adults Don't Exercise: Behavioral Strategies to Increase Physical Activity in Sedentary Middle-Aged and Older Adults. Innov Aging 2:igy007
Orkaby, Ariela R; Rich, Michael W; Sun, Ryan et al. (2018) Pravastatin for Primary Prevention in Older Adults: Restricted Mean Survival Time Analysis. J Am Geriatr Soc 66:1987-1991
Kim, Dae Hyun; Mahesri, Mufaddal; Bateman, Brian T et al. (2018) Longitudinal Trends and Variation in Antipsychotic Use in Older Adults After Cardiac Surgery. J Am Geriatr Soc 66:1491-1498
Robinson, Stephanie A; Bisson, Alycia N; Hughes, Matthew L et al. (2018) Time for change: using implementation intentions to promote physical activity in a randomised pilot trial. Psychol Health :1-23
Jang, Il-Young; Jung, Hee-Won; Park, Hyelim et al. (2018) A multicomponent frailty intervention for socioeconomically vulnerable older adults: a designed-delay study. Clin Interv Aging 13:1799-1814

Showing the most recent 10 out of 24 publications