Dissemination Core

Project Summary The Dissemination Core (DC) is a crucial component of the success of CREATE. The DC advances the Center’s mission of ensuring that the benefits of technology can be realized by older adults to support and enhance their independence, productivity, health, safety, social connectedness, and quality of life. The DC promotes CREATE scientific outcomes, design guidelines, products, tools, and protocols to a broad constituency using a variety of dissemination methods (e.g., book series, website, workshop, webinars, social media, publications, and presentations). The major aims of the core are to coordinate and direct dissemination activities to maximize the impact of CREATE work. Specifically, for CREATE V, activities will include capitalizing on existing connections to networks, agencies, and communities to promote CREATE activities and research; formalizing dissemination efforts to inform stakeholders; enhancing translational efforts targeted to industry and international groups; and systematically advancing social media and internet presence. The DC will continue to deploy successful dissemination strategies and techniques developed over the past two decades that have resulted in the Center and PIs receiving awards for innovative and interdisciplinary research, publishing hundreds of peer-reviewed journal articles, presenting at most major aging, psychology, and design conferences and hosting well-attended and well-received webinars and workshops nationally and internationally. CREATE V dissemination activities will specifically target stakeholders who work with and have the ability to improve the health and wellbeing of older adults, including healthcare networks; the industry and design community; community and government agencies; the scientific community; and older adults and the general public. The DC has developed and will monitor metrics of success associated with reaching each of these stakeholders. In addition to previously deployed methods and strategies, CREATE V will develop new materials and strategies to reach a broad array of stakeholders, including podcasts and “Research in a Minute” web videos targeting different stakeholders; policy briefs targeted at local and national governments; news materials, action plans, and public-facing articles in conjunction with existing professional connections of CREATE PIs; and formalized efforts to inform stakeholders. Another new structure of the DC for CREATE V is the development and implementation of a social media internship program. The DC will also take advantage of CREATE’s new Industry Advisory Council (IAC) to disseminate CREATE findings and products to small and large businesses; designers and programmers; workplace managers; and human resources departments. Our efforts to inform older adults, healthcare providers, family members, and the community at large will reduce age-stereotypes, especially myths about older adults’ interest in innovative technology use. Traditional and novel dissemination routes will help ensure the goals of minimizing technology disparities and bridging the digital divide are met, allowing individuals of all ages to benefit from existing and emerging technologies.