About Us
Older adults are vastly underrepresented in research, which is even more pronounced for older adults with medical vulnerability (e.g., cognitive impairment and complex multi-morbidity) and/or social vulnerability (e.g., social isolation, poverty, limited literacy, homelessness, etc.).
The Vulnerable Populations Aging Research Core (VARC) will assist investigators with the skills and expertise needed to enroll and retain older subjects for a range of study designs, particularly those with medical or social vulnerability.
The VARC can provide consultation for the following research that includes older adults with medical and/or social vulnerabilities:
- Design of primary data collection studies
- Recruiting consenting, enrolling, and retaining older adults, including convening and maintaining community advisory boards
- Qualitative and mixed methods to inform intervention development
- Predictor and outcome measures of medical and social vulnerability
- Novel methodologic research (e.g.: development projects)
Resources
VARC Office Hours
Join us for our upcoming Office Hours where our core leaders can provide group consultation for the following aspects of research:
- Design & grant-writing
- IRB
- Writing up results
- Sharing findings with community stakeholders
Office Hours are held every first Wednesday of the month. Use the button below to sign up for an Office Hours slot.
Advice about building and supporting diverse teams
Running a team
- Team meeting agenda examples & how to run meetings
- Routine team check-ins (e.g. RS example)
- SOPs
Supporting students and mentees
- Medical student summer research plan (qualitative examples)
- CURE intern summer training plan examples
- Methods for long-term remote engagement of student/trainee collaborations
Email Landon Haller to inquire.
Primary Data Collection Repository of Resources
(available upon request)
- Example consent documents, IRB documents
- Recommended references for qualitative and mixed methods
- Recommended reading on anti-racism in research
Email Landon Haller to access this repository.
Consultations
We provide one-on-one, teleconference-based consultation on primary data colection study design, analysis of qualitative data, and recruitment of vulnerable populations.
Team Expertise
Our Vulnerable Populations Aging Research Core (VARC) resource collections and program offerings are all curated and designed by our team of leading experts in the field of aging research.