TY - JOUR
T1 - Experience Corps
T2 - A dual trial to promote the health of older adults and children's academic success
AU - Fried, Linda P.
AU - Carlson, Michelle C.
AU - McGill, Sylvia
AU - Seeman, Teresa
AU - Xue, Qian Li
AU - Frick, Kevin
AU - Tan, Erwin
AU - Tanner, Elizabeth K.
AU - Barron, Jeremy
AU - Frangakis, Constantine
AU - Piferi, Rachel
AU - Martinez, Iveris
AU - Gruenewald, Tara
AU - Martin, Barbara K.
AU - Berry-Vaughn, Laprisha
AU - Stewart, John
AU - Dickersin, Kay
AU - Willging, Paul R.
AU - Rebok, George W.
N1 - Funding Information:
Funding support for this manuscript was provided by the National Institute on Aging under contract P30-AG02133 , the MacArthur Foundation , the Weinberg Foundation , Erickson Foundation , Retirement Research Foundation , AmeriCorps , Baltimore City: Baltimore City Commission on Aging and Retirement Education , Baltimore City Public School System , and Baltimore City Department of Health , and Mr. Corckran . The authors would also like to thank J. W. Rowe, MD for critical advice. This trial is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Paul R. Willging.
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - Background: As the population ages, older adults are seeking meaningful, and impactful, post-retirement roles. As a society, improving the health of people throughout longer lives is a major public health goal. This paper presents the design and rationale for an effectiveness trial of Experience Corps™, an intervention created to address both these needs. This trial evaluates (1) whether senior volunteer roles within Experience Corps™ beneficially impact children's academic achievement and classroom behavior in public elementary schools and (2) impact on the health of volunteers. Methods: Dual evaluations of (1) an intention-to-treat trial randomizing eligible adults 60 and older to volunteer service in Experience Corps™, or to a control arm of usual volunteering opportunities, and (2) a comparison of eligible public elementary schools receiving Experience Corps™ to matched, eligible control schools in a 1:1 control:intervention school ratio. Outcomes: For older adults, the primary outcome is decreased disability in mobility and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL). Secondary outcomes are decreased frailty, falls, and memory loss; slowed loss of strength, balance, walking speed, cortical plasticity, and executive function; objective performance of IADLs; and increased social and psychological engagement. For children, primary outcomes are improved reading achievement and classroom behavior in Kindergarten through the 3rd grade; secondary outcomes are improvements in school climate, teacher morale and retention, and teacher perceptions of older adults.
AB - Background: As the population ages, older adults are seeking meaningful, and impactful, post-retirement roles. As a society, improving the health of people throughout longer lives is a major public health goal. This paper presents the design and rationale for an effectiveness trial of Experience Corps™, an intervention created to address both these needs. This trial evaluates (1) whether senior volunteer roles within Experience Corps™ beneficially impact children's academic achievement and classroom behavior in public elementary schools and (2) impact on the health of volunteers. Methods: Dual evaluations of (1) an intention-to-treat trial randomizing eligible adults 60 and older to volunteer service in Experience Corps™, or to a control arm of usual volunteering opportunities, and (2) a comparison of eligible public elementary schools receiving Experience Corps™ to matched, eligible control schools in a 1:1 control:intervention school ratio. Outcomes: For older adults, the primary outcome is decreased disability in mobility and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL). Secondary outcomes are decreased frailty, falls, and memory loss; slowed loss of strength, balance, walking speed, cortical plasticity, and executive function; objective performance of IADLs; and increased social and psychological engagement. For children, primary outcomes are improved reading achievement and classroom behavior in Kindergarten through the 3rd grade; secondary outcomes are improvements in school climate, teacher morale and retention, and teacher perceptions of older adults.
KW - Children's academic success
KW - Community-based participatory research
KW - Health promotion
KW - Healthy aging
KW - Intergenerational programs
KW - Senior service
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U2 - 10.1016/j.cct.2013.05.003
DO - 10.1016/j.cct.2013.05.003
M3 - Article
C2 - 23680986
AN - SCOPUS:84879578727
SN - 1551-7144
VL - 36
SP - 1
EP - 13
JO - Contemporary Clinical Trials
JF - Contemporary Clinical Trials
IS - 1
ER -