About Us

While New Jersey may rank among the top for wealth, the state fares much worse in health-related rankings. The state places 50th for hospital admissions, 34th for preventable hospitalizations, and 48th in primary care providers to populations. Older adults are disproportionately affected by these outcomes. According to the 2017 US Census, 19.5 percent of the state’s population—more than 1.35 million—are considered older adults.

This statistic indicates that one-fifth of the state’s population is at risk of receiving inadequate health care. Rutgers’ aging experts are spread across campuses and disciplines, limiting knowledge transfer or combined efforts. By establishing the Center for Healthy Aging Research, Rutgers will have a collaborative, multidisciplinary network to help shape policies and positively impact population health both in New Jersey and throughout the nation.

Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research, in close collaboration with New York University, is leading the Rutgers-NYU Center for Asian Health Promotion and Equity (CAHPE). The center will serve as a regional hub for researchers to conduct studies on cardiometabolic disease and mental health issues in Asians throughout the New Jersey-New York area.

The Rutgers-NYU Center for Asian Health Promotion and Equity will have the following aims:

  • Create infrastructure to support high quality research on “Heart-Mind” connection through cardiometabolic (including cardiovascular disease, stroke, and diabetes) and mental health.
  • Provide annual funding for six pilot research projects.
  • Conduct interdisciplinary projects focusing on nutritional, emotional, and dementia caregiving interventions to target diverse Asian population at high risk.
  • Disseminate study findings to the local, regional, and national levels to inform future prevention and intervention research strategies.

Center For Healthy Aging

Mission
  • Be a national leader to improve health and wellbeing of aging populations through interdisciplinary and translational research, innovation education and training and sustainable community engagement.
Vision
  • Catalyze synergy in interdisciplinary collaboration
    to expand research funding on aging issues.
  • Translate knowledge generated to inform the
    health care system to better serve the needs
    of aging populations.
  • Educate family members, policy makers and the public to improve health and wellbeing of aging populations and to disseminate novel educational resources to older adults, families and communities.
  • Ignite reciprocal and sustainable partnership with diverse regional communities serving NJ aging populations and create a platform for synergetic collaboration.
Values
  • Excellence, Collaboration, Diversity, Innovation, Accountability and Leadership

strategic plan

Mission :

To ignite interdisciplinary and translational aging research initiatives, contribute to interprofessional geriatrics education, and enhance the quality of person-centered care

Vission Statement

Connect the disconnected, Integrate knowledge, Transcend traditional boundaries, and Extend opportunities to others through education and dissemination

Research Priorities :

  • Biology of aging & age-related diseases including Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, Behavioral and mental health issues associated with aging & age-related diseases
  • Health services research & policy approaches to improve access to care & outcomes of care.
  • Ethnogeriatric and equity-informed approaches to care for racial/ethnic/gender minorities
Opportunities for Future Collaborations:
Connect, Integrate, Transcend, and Extend

Critical mass of interdisciplinary researchers, clinicians, and educators at Rutgers are working in areas of: Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia; HIV and Aging; Mobility and Rehabilitation (including falls prevention and post-stroke therapies); Nutrition and Oral Health; Osteoporosis and Bone Health; Palliative and End-of-Life Care; Primary/Preventive Care and Payment Models

Next Steps :

  1. Outreach to experts in policy, advocacy, and law from Newark and Camden campuses.
  2. Outreach to experts in state government and department of health.
  3. Host monthly center meetings with longer format including: time for networking and fellowship;featured speaker (rotating topic); and mock-review session (papers and grants)
  4. Build community through social activities and community service (after work social; seasonal outdoor activities; community outreach/education/service events)
  5. Build shared history of funding, publication, conference symposia, colloquia/gero-seminar.

Metrics for Success :

  • Participation in meetings and scholarly events
  • Participation in social events and community service/outreach/education
  • Web site traffic, social media engagement
  • Selection for Capital Campaign & Endowments
  • Participation in Rutgers Giving Day
  • Grant funding, especially to multidisciplinary teams
  • Publications, especially by multidisciplinary teams
  • Professional advancement, promotions, and awards to center members