The Engagement Lab through of Virginia Tech Engagement Center for Creative Aging seeks to understand how older adults’ engagement in recreational programming and therapeutic activity relates to their physical, cognitive, and psychosocial outcomes. Using data collected through the Adult Day Services program, The Engagement Lab examines associations between older adults’ engagement, socialization, and mood during different activities and outcomes such as their vital signs, nutritional intake, daily functioning, cognitive function, life satisfaction, and depression symptoms.
The Engagement Lab is in an exciting period of transition and expansion! We are currently applying for grant funding through a variety of programs, including the National Institute of Aging and the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification, to establish data collection protocols across multiple Adult Day Services centers in the state of Virginia. This expansion is part of a larger goal for the Engagement Center for Creative Aging at Virginia Tech to serve as a data hub for Adult Day Services centers across Virginia and eventually the United States.
We have many opportunities to get involved with our research! Contact us at ecca@vt.edu.