Center Focusing On Assistive Devices For Older Persons Awarded $2.5 Million Grant

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The only center in the U.S. devoted to the study and development of assistive devices for older persons with disabilities, housed at the University at Buffalo, has received $2.5 million in federal funds to continue its work through 2001.

The grant for UB's Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Aging is from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, which provided a $2.5 grant in 1991 to help establish the center.

During the center's first five years, its researchers initiated the first study of the need for assistive devices by older persons living at home, and developed several new devices.

They also conducted architectural research into home modifications for the aging disabled, established a research database on patterns of assistive-device use, and began multiple new education, resource and service programs for consumers, health-care professionals and device suppliers and manufacturers.

William Mann, Ph.D., chair of the UB Department of Occupational Therapy and director of the center, said the new grant will allow the center to expand its initial projects and begin several new ones.

"One of the major research components of the center is the Consumer Assessments Study, which is a longitudinal investigation of the health, psychosocial and functional status of frail, older persons living at home and how they cope with impairments. The new funding will allow us to collect data for a total of 10 years, and to continue to follow participants who move into nursing homes. During the first five years of the study, we stopped following participants when they left the home setting."

Center researchers also will investigate ways to help the frail elderly integrate fully into the community, and will begin studying the needs of persons aging with congenital disabilities or with conditions acquired in youth, such as post-polio syndrome.

Research -- 10 projects, including device assessment in the home and community, minority assistive technology, nursing-home interventions, problem assistive devices and environmental interventions in the home.

• Device Development -- for automobiles, obesity, mobility, balance, stairs and public seating.
• Education -- four projects aimed at students, graduate students and health care professionals in rehabilitation and aging.
• Information -- 10 projects, including videos, booklets, training manuals, resources for hotels and motels.