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Objectives/Goals: Micro-credentialing programs provide a rapid solution to the growing shortage of clinical research professionals (CRPs) by expanding the applicant pool and improving training efficiency. This study evaluates the impact of a micro-credential course on CRP education and its potential to reduce staffing shortages. Methods/Study Population: To address the CRP staffing shortage, new and existing clinical research staff at the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) participated in a micro-credential badging course developed by NJ ACTS and Rutgers’ Master’s in Clinical Research Management Program. The course focused on key clinical research topics designed to equip participants with foundational knowledge. Post-completion, surveys were administered to both participants and CINJ management to assess the program’s effectiveness. The survey measured perceived knowledge gains, interest in further opportunities, and the program’s potential to alleviate staffing shortages. Survey results were analyzed to determine the program’s overall impact on CRP education and staffing challenges. Results/Anticipated Results: Survey results demonstrated significant knowledge gains among participants, with 85% reporting increased confidence in clinical research topics after completing the micro-credential course. Additionally, 70% of participants expressed interest in pursuing further opportunities in the field. CINJ management reported smoother onboarding processes and noted an improvement in job readiness among new hires. The CRC Badge has since been integrated into CINJ’s formal onboarding process. Overall, the micro-credential program contributed to expanding the CRP applicant pool, improving training efficiency, and offering a short-term solution to alleviate staffing shortages. Discussion/Significance of Impact: This research demonstrates the effectiveness of micro-credentialing in addressing the critical shortage of CRPs. By rapidly equipping staff with essential knowledge, the program broadens the applicant pool, enhances onboarding, and offers an immediate solution to workforce gaps.

Abstract There is much research being conducted to better understand and advance age-friendly community practice. This symposium presents research from leading age-friendly researchers and practitioners across the United States. Drs. Black and Oh provide an analysis of the nation’s sectoral efforts based on progress reported by the age-friendly communities. Drs. Hernandez and Coyle will describe the research and community engagement that led to the development of an aging equity conceptual framework and examples of how it is being operationalized in the City of Boston. Drs. Greenfield and doctoral student Pope will present on a scoping review of studies in the U.S. and Canada on the range of ways in which the public sector participates in age-friendly community efforts. Drs. Coyle and Oh and doctoral students Gleason and Somerville present on a study that explored factors inhibiting communities from officially joining the age-friendly network. Dr. Perry reports on efforts to elevate the voice of older adults on social justice issues pertaining to aging in place in the domain of housing. Individual abstracts provide further detail on each study’s methods and findings.

Abstract Age-friendly Universities represent a growing contribution to the worldwide age-friendly movement. For universities, the international effort aims to highlight the role higher education plays in responding to the opportunities associated with an aging population. The initiative outlines ten principles to engage older adults via collegiate mission pertaining to research, education and service. Shared practices suggest diverse and unique application of the guiding tenets across participating colleges and universities. However Age-friendly Universities are also part of a broader ecosystem, situated in geographic locales reflecting actual or prospective age-friendly community status. The global Age-friendly Community movement is a decade-old effort to improve the environments in which we age via a cyclical process. This paper identifies the intersection between Age-friendly University principles and Age-Friendly Community processes and discusses reciprocal considerations for mutual advancement of the broader movement.

Age-friendly initiatives dispersed across sectors have the potential to coalesce into a broader movement. This article describes the concept of social movements and its relevance for bringing together efforts as part of an age-friendly ecosystem (AFE). It presents five shared principles and approaches for further unifying age-friendly efforts: a focus on policy, systems, and environmental change; leveraging relationships for change; positioning older adults as change agents; addressing ageism; and attending to aging equity and diversity. We discuss how these principles and approaches can foster opportunities for more strategic alignment to strengthen an age-friendly movement for the 21st century and beyond.

Abstract There is increasing interest in better understanding the sectoral reach of age-friendly community practice. Action across a wide variety of actors is central to achieving age-friendly societal change according to the World Health Organization and an explicit goal for governmental participation in its Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the scope of sectoral reach by age-friendly communities. We used qualitative inquiry to assess sectoral efforts reported by American age-friendly communities that completed a five-year cycle of participation (n=40). We employed directed content analysis using a priori indicators by sectoral actors: public (i.e., government), private (i.e., business), and civil society including nonprofit organizations and volunteers. We classify sectoral actions by type (i.e., intersectoral, multisectoral) and by clustered domain community foci (i.e., built, social, service). Our study identifies the extent and types of sectoral actors and actions reported by age-friendly communities with the greatest efforts reported in the public sector, and while similarly distributed across all the domains, slightly more efforts were noted in the built environment. We also found greater intersectoral efforts (i.e., explicitly working towards shared goals) than multisectoral (i.e., not necessarily in collaboration on shared goals), particularly across government. While our study substantiates the breadth of actions towards age-friendly change, additional research is needed to examine the ways in which the public and other sectoral actions are further linked to outcomes in communities in the United States and in other countries.

Abstract The majority of Americans overwhelmingly prefer to age in place and in the communities in which they reside. Age-friendly communities support aging in place by focusing attention on features both inside and outside of the home. The global age-friendly community model provides a framework that requires assessing community-based older adults’ needs and preferences about, and developing subsequent action towards, features of the social, service and built environment including housing and transportation which are considered essential to aging successfully at home. This presentation discusses the intersect between research, policy and practice in an age-friendly community which utilized micro-level findings from older adults (n = 1, 172) to enact macro-level collaborations across local and statewide government and professional groups to facilitate aging in place across the domains of housing and transportation.

Abstract The Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities has grown steadily over the past decade across the United States, however surprisingly little is known regarding their accomplishments to date. We utilized content analysis to assess the progress reported by American age-friendly communities (n = 30) that joined by end of year 2015 using the Age-Friendly Community Evidence-based Tool with expanded program evaluation measures including health equity as defined by the World Health Organization. We employed deductive analytic techniques to assess reported community performance in eleven thematic areas across the range of structures and processes that characterize age-friendly efforts. We found strong evidence in the areas of leadership and governance, harnessed resources, application of age-friendly framework, and in multisector collaboration as well as reported provisions. All of the communities reported health equity aims, particularly in promoting accessible physical environments and social inclusion efforts. Our analysis further revealed areas for continued improvement.

Population aging has led to an increased focus on the environmental context in which we age. While researchers have identified significant health benefits associated with built community features such as housing, transportation and outdoor spaces and buildings, less attention has focused on the correlates of healthy aging and other characteristics via the perspective of community-dwelling older adults. This study utilized cluster analysis to examine health-related subgroups of older adults (n = 598) in an age-friendly community located in the United States, of which nearly half of its residents are age 60 and older. Linear regression was used to associate the health clusters with perceptions of built environmental features and socio-demographics. Four distinct profiles were identified, with the greatest preference for housing and transportation found among those reporting poorer health compared to those reporting excellent health across multi-dimensional healthy aging measures. Perceptions on the importance of built environmental features were also found to vary by age, income and home accessibility status. Findings suggest that older adults’ perceptions about built environmental features differ across health and home status as well as age and income, underscoring opportunities for public health action to better reach and engage older adults by life-course trajectories in age-friendly communities.

There is mounting interest in promoting - and evaluating efforts that improve healthy aging in age-friendly communities. Additionally, there is increasing recognition that multi-sectoral engagement beyond the aging network is needed to maximize impact and sustainability. Within the context of collective impact, this paper reviews a framework that explicates public health activities in collaboration across a range of stakeholders in age-friendly communities. Metrics demonstrating evidence of five categorical roles, processes and outcomes will be presented including: 1) Connecting and Convening; 2) Coordinating; 3) Collecting and Disseminating Data; 4) Communicating; and 5) Complementing and Supplementing. Examples that illustrate evidence vis-à-vis the components and phases of collective impact will be presented.

Mounting efforts to improve care and promote healthy aging throughout society and across the care continuum have created unique opportunities for gerontological nursing practice. Population aging has invoked a multitude of responses among all levels of international and national organizations, foundations, health care, and government to meet the needs and promote preferences of older adults. Large-scale programs by the World Health Organization, The John A. Hartford Foundation, Institute for Health-care Improvement, and Trust for America's Health have galvanized to advance the momentum of age-friendly communities, health care, and public health. Gerontological nurses can leverage this growing interest in aging by enhancing their knowledge about age-friendly movements, influencing these movements with their expertise in evidence-based practices, and advancing their own competencies in caring for older adults in any setting. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 47(3), 13–17.]