Gerontology Research

What if growing older meant thriving, not just surviving? At our Center on Aging, we are redefining what it means to age well through groundbreaking research that puts people first.

Built on decades of excellence in applied research, which has advanced quality of care for frail elders, our center has evolved into a powerful catalyst that unites researchers studying all dimensions of aging from across the university.

Through dynamic partnerships with community organizations, healthcare systems, government agencies, and industry leaders, we are building bridges between academic discovery and real-world impact. These collaborations do not just inform research – they transform it, ensuring every project addresses genuine needs and lasting change in our communities locally and afar.

Join us as we shape a future where aging is not feared but celebrated as life's greatest adventure yet to come.

Long-term Care and the PEAK 2.0 project

A longstanding strength at the Center on Aging is our focus on quality care and quality of life for residents in long-term care settings. We emphasize resident-centered research, as evidenced by our PEAK project where we implement and evaluate a statewide program to improve resident-centered care for nursing home residents in Kansas. We have several ongoing projects related to resident-centered care, and we specialize in qualitative analysis. To contact us about student participation or potential research collaboration, please email Jacy Hughes.

Moving Forward Pilot Study

The Moving Forward Nursing Home Coalition is an organization that brings leaders, stakeholders, and experts together to advance practical solutions to long-standing nursing home quality issues. The Center on Aging led efforts within the coalition to advance individualized care planning for residents living in nursing homes.

One of the top 10 citations on nursing home surveys is F-tag: F656 – Comprehensive Care Plans. That suggests that many nursing homes lack the bandwidth or resources to address residents’ full set of goals, preferences, and priorities (or GPPs). The Moving Forward Coalition's guide offers accessible, easy-to-use strategies and steps to talk to residents about what matters to them and then translate that to care. The KSU Center on Aging is piloting the guide with a small number of nursing homes in Kansas. For questions about this project, contact Addie VanZutphen or Laci Cornelison.

Logan LIFE Project

Logan Intergenerational Family Education (LIFE) Center is a unique setting that has integrated a nursing home, an elementary school, a gymnasium, a wellness center, and other community rooms into a single facility. This intergenerational facility responds to multiple community needs, including public education, skilled disabled and senior care services, and a community center. The goal of this forward-thinking approach is to improve educational outcomes and enhance the quality of life for residents while maximizing cost efficiency through the centralization of resources.

Through this project, a multidisciplinary team of K-State experts from the Colleges of Arts & Science, Health & Human Sciences, and Architecture Planning & Design will explore the varied impacts of a purposefully developed residential living environment and participation in a structured intergenerational program for older adults and school-aged children. This project is generously funded by the Chapman Foundation.