Family support research and training center (FSRTC) to bridge aging and disability - the institute on disability and human development at the university of illinois chicago in partnership with…

Family support research and training center (FSRTC) to bridge aging and disability - the institute on disability and human development at the university of illinois chicago in partnership with brandeis university, and key collaborators and stakeholders, proposes a rehabilitation research and training center (RRTC) on family support. The goals of the RRTC are to: 1) bridge aging and disability across the life course to advance family support; 2) promote promising and evidence-informed practices for diverse and underserved family caregivers; 3) generate new knowledge and policy recommendations in critical family support areas; and 4) create a national resource center on family support to provide training and technical assistance (TA) as well as to disseminate information. Ultimately, the work of the RRTC will contribute to improvements in community living, participation, health, function, and other outcomes of individuals with disabilities who are supported by family members. The objectives are to conduct research projects to generate knowledge for goals 1-3 and implement dissemination, training, and TA activities to attain goal 4. The following are the five research projects: (1) strive to thrive: supporting families across the aging and disability networks uses mixed methods to learn about what helps aging family caregivers and people with disabilities thrive using a national survey, focus groups, and diary/photovoice. (2) future planning for adults with developmental disabilities and their families enhances the efficacy of an evidence-informed intervention to help families plan for the future as caregivers age using virtual train-the trainer and intervention methods. (3) wave program: wellness action via engagement for older family caregivers determines the feasibility and efficacy of an intervention to promote physical activity and improve physical and psychosocial well-being for older family caregivers. (4) analysis of national datasets on family support examines secondary datasets to understand the experiences of family caregivers. (5) policy analysis and development to improve family support identifies critical policy areas in family support and generates knowledge and recommendations for change. Collaborating partners include usaging, self- advocates becoming empowered, the ARC, the university of missouri kansas city, the sibling leadership network, and the national hispanic council on aging. We will engage a wide range of national and community organizations who represent families and people with disabilities to participate in our national stakeholder engagement taskforce and TA/dissemination committee. The RRTC will focus on the lived experiences of family caregivers of disabled individuals, with intentional inclusion of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, who are often overlooked. This RRTC will emphasize ways to bridge aging and disability research, practice, and policies; and increase understanding of the experiences and needs of families from understudied and underserved racial and ethnic groups and how to support them, especially hispanic/latino, black, and lgbtq+ family caregivers.