Consensus Workshops

CITRA consensus workshops are an important way that we are working to bridge the gap between research and practice. They are designed to address the need for meaningful dialogue between researchers and practitioners, to identify discrepancies between interventions recommended by research and the actual experience of gerontological practitioners, and to obtain practitioner suggestions for the future research agenda.

Taking Community Action Against Pain:Translating Research on Chronic Pain among Older Adults
December 2006
This one day CITRA NYC conference on October 16, 2006, was designed to stimulate dialogue among researchers, practitioners, and policy makers on this important topic. One anticipated outcome of this endeavor is the formation of community-researcher partnerships to address the problem of chronic pain among older adults residing in NYC.

This event was supported by a National Institute on Aging grant to the Cornell Institute for Translational Research on Aging; the Bronfenbrenner Life Course Center; and the Cornell University College of Human Ecology.
CITRA Pain Conference Summary (with hyperlinks to presentations) (4.1 KB)
CITRA Pain Conference Summary (4.1 KB)

Social Isolation: Strategies for Connecting and Engaging Older People
March 2007
The following research review focuses on scientifically tested strategies for reducing social isolation among older adults. A long research tradition in the field of gerontology has related social integration - participation in multiple life roles and activities and access to social support in times of need - to good health and well-being among older people. Conversely, social isolation, or the lack of access to social support and the lack of meaningful social relationships, roles, and activities, is related to poor health and lower well-being.
Social Isolation Consensus Workshop Paper (4.1 KB)

The CITRA Research-Practice Consensus-Workshop Model: Exploring a New Method of Research Translation in Aging
January 2007
Sabir, M., Breckman, R., Meador, R., Wethington, E., Reid, M.C., & Pillemer, K. (2006). The CITRA Research-Practice Consensus-Workshop Model: Exploring a New Method of Research Translation in Aging. The Gerontologist, 46, 833-839.

Purpose: On the basis of the experience of an extensive community-based research partnership in New York City, we developed an innovative process for bridging the gap between aging-related research and practice, using a consensus-workshop model.
Design and Methods: We adapted the traditional scientific consensus workshop model to include translation of the research into nontechnical language and the involvement of practitioners in the process. We then applied the model to the specific issue of falls prevention among community-dwelling older adults.
The Gerontologist, December 2006 (4.1 KB)

The CITRA Research-Practice Consensus Workshop Manual
November 2006
The CITRA consensus workshop model detailed here was created as part of a community-based research partnership of social science and medical researchers at Cornell University and an organized group of approximately 250 aging service organizations in New York City. The concept of the consensus workshop emerged from in-depth discussions of ways to bridge the gap between research and practice.

CITRA is offering the model in the form of a manual. CITRA's unique adaptation of the standard consensus conference model is described in detail in this manual. Just click on one of the following links to download the manual.
CITRA Research-Practice Consensus Workshop Manual (4.1 KB)
CITRA Research-Practice Consensus Workshop Manual (4.1 KB)