Get Involved
For Community Members | For Researchers | Pepper Center and the Community
The mission of the Pepper Research Network on Aging (PRNA) is to promote and foster inclusion of older adults living in the community and across the continuum of care in University of Pittsburgh research studies. The PRNA maintains two registries that recruits and enrolls older adults who are willing to be contacted about potential research opportunites.
For Community Members
Community Registry
Are you or someone you know over the age of 60, still living independently, and interested in participating in age-related research?
You or they may be eligible to enroll in the Pepper Center Research Registry for older adults. The National Institutes of Health and the University of Pittsburgh have developed the Claude D. Pepper Research Center to study mobility and balance in older Americans.
The purpose of this registry is to collect a list of volunteers interested in participating in research studies on aging, balance and mobility.
Interested in enrolling? Please contact the Registry Coordinator, Janelle Christensen at 412-692-2843 or e-mail her here.
Platinum Senior-Living Registry
Are you or someone you know over the age of 55 and currently residing in a senior-living facility or attending an adult day program?
You or they may be eligible to enroll in the Platinum Research Registry for Senior-Living Residents. The Platinum Registry enrolls residents of any kind of senior-living community, including senior apartments, high-rises, independent-living communities, personal care, and skilled nursing facilities. The Platinum Registry enrolls residents who are willing to consider participating in research studies, as well as Senior-Living communities and Adult Day Programs interested in participating as a site for future research studies.
Participants will be contacted about potential research studies they may be eligible for in order to decide if they want to participate in those studies. Studies may include physical therapy, fall and fracture prevention, medications, sleep, and age-related issues. The Platinum Registry facilities studies on-site, or provides transportation to Oakland for participants to make sure residents with mobility and transportation issues are still able to participate.
We currently have over 40 sites participating in our registry. For more information about joining the registry or to find out if your residence is an active participant, please contact Janelle Christensen at 412-692-2843 or e-mail her here.
Community Advisory Board (CAB)
The Pepper Community Advisory Board is made up of Pepper Investigators, research coordinators, community stakeholders and community members who have participated in Pepper studies.
The CAB provides advice and feedback for Pepper activities including the Pepper Research Network on Aging research registries. Investigators can present research ideas to gauge CAB interest and receive advice about implementation. The CAB may also make suggestions to improve the study processes.
If you are a past or present research participant who is over 55 years old, and you are interested in providing feedback to the CAB regarding your participation, please contact Dr. Steven Albert at 412-383-8693 or e-mail him here.
For Researchers
The Pepper Research Network on Aging (PRNA) maintains two registries that are available for Pepper-approved researchers who are conducting aging-related research at the University of Pittsburgh. These registries include the Community Registry and the Platinum Senior-Living Registry.
Please contact Dr. Steven Albert at 412-383-8693 or e-mail him here, if you have questions about using the Community or Platinum Senior Living Registry.
Researchers wanting to use either registry need to apply.
Community Registry
The Community Registry includes over 2,300 community-dwelling persons from the Pittsburgh region age 60 or older. Registry participants consent to be contacted for potential participation in Pepper-approved research studies.
Participants are followed yearly to update contact their information, mobility and balance status, and basic health information.Follow-up interview waves reach about 85% of the cohort and only 10% of the sample has been lost to follow-up. The PRNA Community Registry has helped over 100 studies with recruitment.
Please contact Dr. Steven Albert at 412-383-8693 or e-mail him here, if you have questions about using the Community Registry.
Researchers wanting to use the registry need to apply.
Platinum Senior-Living Registry
This registry compiles lists of senior-living communities and participants ages 55+ who are willing to participate in research. We can also provide sites for researchers to conduct long-term care research in the greater Pittsburgh area at sites ranging from senior high-rises to skilled nursing facilities.
Lists of participants who may be eligible can also be provided for approved studies, and queried de-identified data sets to assist with grant proposals and IRB submissions are also available.
Please contact Dr. Steven Albert at 412-383-8693 or e-mail him here, if you have questions about using the Platinum Senior-Living Registry.
Pepper Center and the Community
Our staff is available for presentations and tabling events in the community. Please contact us if you are interested in having someone from our organization attend your next event.
Contact us at pepperoa@pitt.edu
Live in a Senior Living Community?
Learn more about us by playing the video below!
Dr. Susan Greenspan and coordinator Maddie Rigatti present to the residents of Cumberland Woods Village on February 10th, 2020 about osteoporosis and updates in aging research.
2020 Community Engaged Scholarship Forum
The Pepper Center will be showcasing their community outreach at the 2020 CESF Forum with a poster presentation. Please register if you wish to attend.
2020 Community Engaged Scholarship Forum
The Pepper Center will be showcasing their community outreach at the 2020 CESF Forum with a poster presentation. Please register if you wish to attend.
October 24th, 2019: Drs. Greenspan, Rodakowski, and Brach presented alongside coordinator Maddie Rigatti to the residents of Sherwood Oaks on various age-related topics; including osteoporosis, healthy brain aging, and fall prevention. Residents had the opportunity to ask questions and sign up for research studies. This team is available for community presentations.
Please contact Dr. Steven Albert at 412-383-8693 or e-mail him here, if you are interested in having them present at your next event.
Program Coordinator, Madeline Rigatti, represented the Pepper Center at the Baptist Homes Society Senior Health Fair. Ms. Rigatti has attended the fair for three years running, and has made numerous connections with community members and organizations. Over 120 participants stopped by the Pepper Center booth to learn more about aging research studies!
Please reach out to PITTOAID@pitt.edu if you are interested in having a member of our team present about aging research to your organization or facility!