We are deeply grateful for all participants in the 15104 Seniors Project who have made an enormous contribution to the understanding of health and aging.

What is Seniors Project’s purpose?
With federal funding from the National Institute on Aging, the University of Pittsburgh and the 15104 Seniors Project have been studying health and aging in older adults in the 15104 ZIP code since 2019. We examine many aspects of health and aging including the ability to think, understand, remember, concentrate, and solve problems. We are interested in understanding what causes people lose or preserve these abilities as they grow older. The study is purely observational. There is no experiment or treatment included in this study.

Who are the Seniors Project participants?
Our participants are individuals aged 65 years or older who live in Braddock, North Braddock, or Rankin. Over 100 participants have volunteered after meeting us at a community event, seeing one of our advertisements, or after hearing about us from a friend. All participants have provided their written informed consent to take part in this long-term research study. We chose the 15104 ZIP code because we want to focus on older adults who live in small towns and don’t usually have the opportunity to be part of a research study. Their health problems and needs deserve to be documented and analyzed so that in the future their communities can receive the kinds of services they need.

What are the Seniors Project study procedures?
Every year a research interviewer visits our participants, either in their homes or at our office in Braddock, to collect information about health, lifestyle, medications, daily activities, mood, and feelings. We also conduct a series of quizzes and puzzles to measure memory, attention, learning, problem solving and mental speed. The researchers perform a brief physical exam, including a check of balance, reflexes, and eye movements. Our participants are also called on the phone every six months to check up on any major changes or life events. We also ask for a blood or saliva sample to conduct certain tests to help identify possible risk and protective factors against mental decline. We also sometimes request access to participants’ medical records.

What are Seniors Project participants’ rights, benefits, and privacy?
Participation is voluntary, and everyone has the right to withdraw from the study at any time with no negative consequences to themselves. All information collected from the study is strictly confidential. Study documents are kept in locked cabinets. Only researchers who are directly involved in the Seniors Project study have access to the study information. The data we analyze only contains participants’ study ID numbers, and not their names or addresses or other identifiable information.

What do we do with the information we obtain from Seniors Project participants?
The information is coded, entered into the secure database, processed, stored, and then statistically analyzed. The statisticians perform sophisticated analyses to answer our research questions about factors that affect memory and thinking ability.

If you have questions about the 15104 Seniors Project, feel free to call our office in Braddock at 412-586-9452, or use the Contact Us form on this website.