Research at the Center
Important Links
“The expertise and leadership of the College of Applied Health Sciences will help bring together intellectual talent throughout the campus, enabling us to contribute to understanding the critical issues of health, aging and improving life for those with disabilities.”
— Richard Herman, Chancellor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The state and the nation are experiencing increasing challenges to the quality of life and social well-being of citizens of all ages and abilities as the demographics of the population undergo an historically unprecedented shift. The number of older people, persons living with disabilities, and children facing potentially life-constraining conditions is growing exponentially.
Consider the following facts:
- Life expectancy has dramatically increased and the number of people age 85 and older is now the fastest-growing population group.
- Survival rates for premature infants have increased 70-fold in the past 25 years.
- One in five Americans has a disability.
- Spinal cord and severe brain injury survival rates alone account for approximately 80,000 additional persons with disabilities each year.
A key focus of the Center is to identify interdisciplinary themes that bring together teams of researchers from across the University and peer institutions that address critical societal needs. Early themes are:
- healthy aging and individual empowerment across the lifespan, and
- independent living and full participation of older adults and persons with disabilities.
Funding supports faculty, research scientists, post-doctoral positions, and graduate research assistants. Seed money is available to support promising pilot research projects. Included in the Center is the Disability Research Institute.
