HBEC Consulting Outcomes

Since 2020, the HBEC CAB, related faculty, and staff have completed 17 consultancies with a wide range of outcomes. Almost half of them have directly affected research design. Projects focused on enhancing caregiving support, adapting technology for older minority adults, promoting adherence to glaucoma medication, and designing a protocol to appropriately reveal results in Alzheimer’s research.

Another important consultancy offered guidance to a national foundation on funding priorities that would benefit older adults. This consultancy took place in advance of the foundation issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) to nonprofits in several major U.S. cities.

In addition to consulting on specific projects, the program provided perspectives to multiple audiences. Often, in these projects, staff, faculty, and CAB members co-present to demonstrate HBEC’s commitment to best practices in community-based research (Israel et al., 1998) and equitable ways to work with community advisory boards to promote engagement (Mitchell et al., 2020). Audiences have included students, junior and senior faculty, older adult community members, grant funders, practitioners serving older adults, and companies considering ways older adults interface with technology.

The remaining consultancies were public presentations at webinars, symposiums, workshops, and a podcast interview. These presentations focused on best practices to engage older minoritized adults in research, recruitment strategies, promoting the value of community-based work, and developing and using advisory boards. Proceeds from the program are allocated to support the HBEC program, CAB members, and HBEC leaders who participate in each consultancy.

Contributing to Health Promotion for Older Adults

This program’s innovative approach coincides with the long-standing mission of the Healthier Black Elders Center, which is, “To work to improve the health and well-being of elderly minorities by encouraging research that will produce knowledge focused on understanding the aging process, disease and disability prevention, health promotion, healthier lifestyles, and successful aging in Detroit and beyond.”

As CAB member Brenda Evans, explained:

“This consulting program is unique in the way it actively recruits CAB members of varied experience and expertise. Thus, bringing a centralized pool of older adult partners to the table for dialogue and input on varied research projects and programs early in the process and throughout their implementation where indicated. In our roles as consultants, CAB members focus on the multifaceted ways that researchers can safely incorporate African Americans from metro Detroit into research. This is important to add applicability of findings to a more diverse population as well as increase diversity from the paltry 5% or less typically seen.”

Promoting Productive Aging

In line with this special issue focused on “Promoting Long, Healthy, and Productive Lives for Everyone,” the HBEC Consulting Program is a blend of formal volunteering and paid work through consulting fees. As CAB member Adelia Cooley said, “I am not only offering my recommendation and expertise, I am also gaining knowledge and awareness that I may not have otherwise acquired. I consider my HBEC Consultancy role as a two-way street—I gain understanding and I give understanding. Both of which I trust to be valuable.”

This blend is part of the next phase of activities of the HBEC contributing to health promotion for older adults, deepening trust, and promoting engagement. We hope that this example shows the level of intensity of the contributions made by HBEC Consulting productive. For more consulting examples, go to HBEC-Consultancies_forwebpage.pdf(mcuaaar.org).

A CAB member for more than 20 years, James Bridgforth aptly describes the blend of how his formal volunteering directly draws upon his previous professional experiences. He brings work experience in management, working with people/clients, being accountable for budgets, outcomes, and projects to the consulting program.

He also brings more than 20 years of working in the community as a leader and CAB member of various organizations including the HBEC CAB. He has contributed to HBEC in many roles including on the Critical Crossroads Social Determinants of Health committee and the COVID-19 Telephone Outreach Project committee. He sees this program as, “an opportunity for CAB members to share their past professional expertise/skills in new settings,” and notes his response to being part of the program. When asked how his voice and perspectives have been perceived, he said, “positively,” as evidenced by “being encouraged to continue and the group reacting positively to my input.”

HBEC CAB members feel strongly that not all CAB members need to bring professional expertise to the consulting program, as their experiences aging as an African American are valued regardless of previous work history and education levels. The ability to contribute both professional and personal experiences lies at the heart of this program.

We would like to acknowledge all the faculty and staff involved in the Michigan Center for Urban African American Aging Research, as well as the RCMAR National Coordinating Center (Principal Investigators: Robert J. Taylor, Peter Lichtenberg, Joan Ilardo). We also would like to thank all the members of the HBEC who shared their experiences and voices by participating in so many HBEC programs and pertinent research studies.

And we would like to thank former CAB members, some no longer with us, who worked so diligently to make this program what it is today. As HBEC consulting has developed, we would also like to thank Lucia Renken for her design contributions. This project is supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health, P30 AG015281, and the Michigan Center for Urban African American Aging Research.