Community-Powered Brain Health Research

Joshua R. Steinerman, M.D.

Health Inequities Think TankApril 12, 2010

Overview

• HEALTHY BRAIN AGING: WHY? HOW?

• ENGAGING CO-OP CITY: PROGRESS TO DATE

• PLANNED PROGRAMS

Cognition

MobilityBehavior

Multimodal Brain Fitness Interventions

Cognitive Enrichment

Mental

Physical

Nutritional

Social

Taking it to the Street

• CENTER FOR HEALTHY BRAIN AGING

• ENGAGING CO-OP CITY

• PROJECTS UNDERWAY

www.c4hba.org

Aging residents of Co-op City (n=12,972)*

Age 50-69 Age 70+

Race Number (%) Number (%)

Black 4650 (59%) 2112 (42%)

Hispanic 1652 (21%) 529 (10%)

White 1498 (19%) 2363 (47%)

Total 7914 5058

*Data are from 2000 U.S. Census. A recent Voter Registration List reports over 15% higher population in some bins.

Key CBOs in Co-op Cityt)CBO

Co-op City NORCRiverbay Housing Corporation

Senior Centers (Dreiser, Einstein, Bartow)

Montefiore Home Health AgencyNew York Public Library

Montefiore Medical Group (2100 Bartow, Dreiser Loop)

Visiting Nurse Service of New YorkAARP

National Council of Negro WomenSpanish-American Club

Senior CouncilFaith-based organizations

Political OrganizationsFairwayBally’s

Weight Watchers

Community-based researchCoordinated efforts, shared benefits

Co-op City Community Stakeholders

Center for Healthy Brain Aging

The goals of C4HBA at Co-op City are:

• To partner with community-based organizations

• To promote awareness of brain fitness

• To enhance current elder programming using neuroscientific principles and cognitive technologies

• To study brain fitness interventions in community settings

Focus Groups for Community Brain Health Research Design• Brain aging lexicon

• Wellness-oriented (Brain Fitness, Healthy Brain Aging)• Disease-oriented (Alzheimer’s, Dementia, Brain Failure)

• Brain Failure Knowledge and Attitudes• Attitudes toward participatory research• Attitudes toward technology

Community Brain Health Forum• April 30!• CBO leadership meeting 11AM• Public educational forum 1PM• Mini Brain Health Fair, Refreshments by Fairway

Committed Partners to Date

Academic Community More Community

Einstein Aging Study Riverbay Co-op City News

Division of Geriatric Psychiatry

JASA Fairway

Division of Community Collaboration

Monte Home Health NYPL

Co-operatives unitedElected officials, faith-based

organizations

CBO leadership meeting agenda• Suggestions?• Air Tentative Conclusions from Focus Groups• Invite participation in summer survey

• Display/distribute paper survey• House a drop-box• Host a survey assistance table session• Summer Youth Employee joint supervision

• Invite participation in ongoing community working groups (Data Sharing and Privacy, Reversing Inequities, Public-Private Collaboration)

What’s next?

• COMMUNITY SURVEY

• SKY IS THE LIMIT

Community Brain Health Survery• Summer 2010• Knowledge and attitudes about brain aging,

participatory research, technology• Current behavior and self-efficacy• Content Suggestions?• Logistics Suggestions?

• Internet research ethics and data management• Grassroots survey distribution and collection• Summer youth supervision

Future directions• Community brain aging registry• Pilot interventions• Integrate cognitive outcomes and technology-

enabled measurement strategies in allied community-based projects

Thank you

• JOSHUA.STEINERMAN@EINSTEIN.YU.EDU

• WWW.C4HBA.ORG