Partner-Engaged Pragmatic Research in Aging Care: Case Studies from the Long-Term Care Quality & Innovation Lab

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Health Services Research

Background:

• The Long-Term Care Quality & Innovation (Q&I) Lab focuses on improving care for older adults and chronically ill individuals.
• Research is conducted in real-world settings, not controlled conditions, to ensure relevance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the effectiveness of pragmatic, partner-engaged research in aging care.
• To showcase how embedded studies generate actionable evidence for practice and policy.

Main Methods:

• Conducting embedded studies in real-world care settings.
• Collaborating with clinicians, frontline staff, health systems, and public agencies.
• Implementing and assessing interventions for effectiveness and feasibility in routine practice.

Main Results:

• A pragmatic trial of a personalized music intervention for dementia residents was conducted.
• A portfolio of COVID-19-related partnered research was developed.
• Actionable evidence was generated to inform practice and policy in aging care.

Conclusions:

• Embedded, partner-engaged research effectively generates actionable evidence for aging care.
• This approach positions health system partners as key contributors to evidence generation.
• The Q&I Lab serves as a translational research platform for improving long-term care.