Research Stimulus Grants in Aging

A Pilot Study to Explore Factors Influencing Pursuit of Work in Persons with Disabilities After Age 50

Project Description

Purpose: This project seeks to identify a sample of workers over 50 who have disabilities in Alamance County and examine multiple factors influencing their expectation to continue working or to continue pursuit of work and their implications for the population of older people with disabilities.

Participants: Fifty older persons with disabilities living in Alamance County who have a work history of five or more years and intend to stay employed or continue seeking work.

Procedures: The proposed pilot study and expanded research will address the primary issue of describing a sample of older adults with disabilities population in North Carolina (NC) who want to work after age 50 and the factors influencing their pursuit of work given their life circumstances. The pilot approach will collect demographic information on a small sample (50) from a county in NC; complete interviews (5) and field-test a survey (5) with a cross section of the sample and then survey the remainder of the sample (40) regarding work and other related factors affecting their employment options and choices; and create a proposed expansion of the study worthy of external funding.

Principal Investigator: Charles Bernacchio, Ed.D., CRC, Assistant Research Professor, Allied Health Sciences, Rehabilitation, Psychology and Counseling

Funded by the Institute on Aging Research Stimulus Program. This pilot study has also been partially funded through the Division of Allied Health Sciences, from a one-year Seed Grant award of $2,069 to support collaborative faculty research.

Investigator Team: Sue Coppola, MS, OTR/L, BCG, Clinical Associate Professor, Allied Health Sciences, Occupational Science; Donna Falvo, RN, PhD, Clinical Psychologist, Allied Health Sciences, Rehabilitation, Psychology and Counseling; Laurie Ringaert, MSc, BMR-OT, BSc. Director Office of Research, School of Public Health, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health.