AOTA member advocates for continued OT rehab research at NIA

AOTA representatives met on August 13 with the Director and other officials from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) to learn more about the Institute’s rehabilitation and disability research plans and to provide information on how such research is utilized to support people who need OT and other rehab services. The meeting was organized by the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Coalition (DRRC) and was attended by more than 20 research advocates and NIA representatives. Natalie E. Leland, PhD, OTR/L, BCG, FAOTA, FGSA, an occupational therapy professor at the University of Pittsburgh, attended on behalf of AOTA and discussed issues related to health disparities in post-acute care and the importance of Alzheimer’s and related dementia (ADRD) rehab research.

Leland expressed appreciation for NIA’s funding of multiple OT-driven research efforts that have been critical in developing OT-led interventions for people with ADRD and asked NIA to continue such work. She referenced the Care of Older Persons in their Environment (COPE), Tailored Activities Program (TAP), CAPABLE, and Skills2Care® programs, which were all supported by NIA and which have influenced state and federal initiatives such as CMS’ Guiding and Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) model that was launched on July 1 this year. GUIDE will continue for eight years with 390 participating organizations nationwide.

Leland also noted that researchers are eager to continue to work with NIA to gather more evidence to improve practice and accelerate the translation and implementation of existing evidence-based interventions. She specifically mentioned the importance of care for those living with ADRD in the community as well as during short-term healthcare encounters, long-term nursing home residency or assisted living. She also stressed the importance of continuing to support efforts that aim to screen for and address the needs of care partners to promote health and quality of life to enable them to continue in that role for as long as possible and to delay/prevent long-term institutionalization, such as NIA’s support for the development and tailoring of Care Partner Hospital Assessment Tool (CHAT) for care partners of those living with ADRD.

AOTA and DRRC last met with the NIA Director and team in 2017. Similar meetings were held in the past with officials from the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR); National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH); National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD); National Cancer Institute (NCI); National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH); National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD); and National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Meetings have also been held with directors of NCMRR and the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), which already focus on rehabilitation and disability research. Andy Bopp represents AOTA as it works with the DRRC to advocate for increased disability/rehab research.