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Institute For Engaged Aging

Research

Aging and Gerontology research within the Clemson University Institute for Engaged Aging

Research conducted by the multidisciplinary IEA Faculty meets the diverse needs of older adults in our state. With a focus on brain, mobility, technology, and health and well-being, IEA researchers are committed to helping older adults retain their independence and ability to stay fully engaged in life.

  • Participate

    We are currently recruiting participants for the following studies:

    Preventing Alzheimer’s with Cognitive Training (PACT) - Interested in participating or more information? Contact Kimberly Scoles - kscoles@clemson.edu - or visit https://pactstudy.org/

    Fall Prevention - Interested in participating or more information? Contact balance@clemson.edu

  • Current Projects

    See below for projects that IEA faculty and research teams have worked on in the last three years.

    Everyday Function Intervention Trial (E-FIT)

    Principal Investigator: Dr. Lesley Ross

    Description: E-FIT assesses potential cognitive and psychosocial mechanisms underlying the transfer of cognitive training to everyday functioning in older adults. Participants complete measures of cognition, health, sensory functioning, physical functioning and psychosocial factors before, after and then three months after training. Participants also complete daily cognitive and psychosocial assessments across the study using smart phones. The overall goal of the study is to assess what aspects cognitive and psychosocial functioning are responsible for improvements in everyday life after the cognitive training intervention. The project is led by Dr. Ross with collaborators at Penn State and is funded by the National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Aging.

    Interested in more information? Call the SHAARP Lab at Penn State at (814) 865-4773.


    Elucidating the Necessary Active Components of Training (ENACT)

    Principal Investigator: Dr. Lesley Ross

    Description: ENACT will assess potential cognitive, psychosocial, neural, and biological mechanisms underlying the transfer of several types of cognitive training to everyday functioning in older adults. Participants will complete a wide range of measures, receive a blood draw, and then be randomly assigned to one of several types of cognitive training. Some participants will also complete functional MRI scans before and after training. We will collect measures of cognition, mood, perceptions, well-being and everyday functioning across the study. Participants will also complete daily cognitive and psychosocial assessments across the study using smart phones. The overall goal of the study is to assess what aspects of the brain games are responsible for improvements in everyday life. The project is led by Dr. Ross and is funded by the National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Aging. 

    Interested in more information? Contact Jeremy Shields - jnshiel@clemson.edu.


    Health Disparities Among South Carolina African Americans Over age 50 years

    Principal Investigator: Dr. Cheryl Dye


    Reducing Fall Risk in Rural, Older South Carolinians

    Research Team: Dr. Marieke Van Puymbroeck, Dr. Karen Kemper, Dr. Brandi Crowe, Dr. Cheryl Dye, and Ms. Tracy Weeks-Gariepy

    Description: Fall prevention in rural older adults in upstate South Carolina.

    Interested in participating or more information? Contact balance@clemson.edu


    Preventing Alzheimer’s with Cognitive Training (PACT)

    Site Principal Investigator: Dr. Lesley Ross

    Description: The purpose of the Preventing Alzheimer’s with Cognitive Training (PACT) study is to find out if computerized training exercises, which are sometimes called brain games, lower the risk of cognitive impairment or dementia for older adults. Healthy older adults, 65 years of age or older, will complete two in-person sessions at baseline, followed by 25 hours of computerized brain training exercises at home over the next few months. Participants will complete 10 more hours of training 1 year after the baseline visit and another 10 hours of training 2 years after the baseline visit. Participants will be asked to come back for a follow up visit in about 3 years.

    Interested in participating or more information? Contact Kimberly Scoles (kscoles@clemson.edu) or visit https://pactstudy.org/


    Ready for STEADI? A Fall Prevention Initiative

    Co-Principal Investigators: Dr. Cheryl Dye, Dr. Marieke Van Puymbroeck

    Description: The goal of the project is to facilitate the environmental and system level changes needed to institutionalize a fall prevention screening, referral and intervention process in a small rural hospital (Oconee Memorial Hospital)


    Carolina Center on Alzheimer’s Disease and Minority Aging Research (CCADMR)

    Site Principal Investigator: Dr. Cheryl Dye

    Description: Alzheimer’s-related Resource Centers for Minority Aging Research

Our Research Clusters

  • Cognition and Aging

    Research Team: Dr. Kaileigh Byrne
    Research Purpose:
    Working to determine age-related factors that affect goal oriented versus habitual decision-making.

  • Dementia Care

    Research Team: Dr. Nicole Davis

    Research Purpose: Exploring the prevalence of
Alzheimer’s
Disease (AD) and dementia throughout SC, racial and geographic disparities in rates of AD, and how different racial and ethnic groups utilize healthcare. Assisted by doctoral student Caitlin Torrence.

  • Fall Prevention
    Reducing Fall Risk in Rural, Older South Carolinians

    Research Team: Dr. Marieke Van Puymbroeck, Dr. Karen Kemper, Dr. Brandi Crowe, Dr. Cheryl Dye, and Ms. Tracy Weeks-Gariepy

    Description: Fall prevention in rural older adults in upstate South Carolina.

    Interested in participating or more information? Contact balance@clemson.edu


    Research Team: Dr. Cheryl Dye, Dr. Karen
 Kemper

    Research Purpose: Fall
 Prevention
Initiative in Oconee County in Collaboration with Prisma Health Upstate.

  • Built Environment and Technological Support for Aging in Place

    Research Team: Dr. Anjali Joseph, Dr. Cheryl Dye, 
Dr. Susan O’Hara, Dr. Kapil Chalil Madathil

    Research Purpose: Understanding the feasibility of using a technology-based intervention to assess the home and community environment before joint
replacement surgery in order to prevent falls in the home and support aging in place post-surgery.

  • Chronic Condition Self-Management
    • Health Coaches for Hypertension Control (HCHC) designated by National Council on Aging as an Evidence Based Program in 2018
    • Trainings conducted nationwide for master trainers 

    • As of 4-2020, HCHC has been disseminated in seven states 

  • Dementia Care
    • Brain Health Club- CU students provide cognitively and socially stimulating activities to those with early to mid-stage dementia
    • Care partners benefit from a respite from their caregiving role 

    • Monday and Wednesday from 1-3:30 at the Central Community Center 

Department of Psychology
Department of Psychology | 418 Brackett Hall