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Age is the number one risk factor for diagnosis of many age-related lung diseases, including COPD and pulmonary fibrosis. Despite this, little is known regarding the interactions that likely occur between the molecular and cellular mechanisms of disease and the changes in molecules and cells that can be attributed to normal aging. In fact, very little is known about the normal aging process in the lung at the cellular and molecular level. In 2015, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the National Institute on Aging (NIA) co-sponsored a workshop that identified a major knowledge gap in the understanding of normal lung aging in humans, as well as the need to develop a map of molecular changes that occur during normal aging in the lung that can serve as a reference for studies of age-related lung diseases.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) seeks applications for the design and development of technologies to monitor health or deliver care in a real-time, accessible, effective, and minimally obtrusive way for older adults with a chronic heart, lung, blood, or sleep (HLBS) condition. These technologies may be novel sensor or monitoring systems, home-use point-of-care devices, home or mobile therapy or rehabilitation tools, or information systems and should have the goal of fostering healthy and independent living for aging adults with HLBS conditions. The development of such technologies should incorporate specific human factors for aging adults including disabilities, mild impairments, as well as chronic HLBS conditions. Technology usability for these populations must be incorporated early in the development of the design. Usability considerations include but are not limited to patient-facing displays, hearing and visual impairments, tactile limitations, literacy, and design preferences between men and women. These improvements in technology design could yield more accurate and earlier detection of changes that may interfere with healthy and independent living for older adults.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) issued by the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the National Institute on Aging (NIA), the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), and the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) at the National Institutes of Health, encourages Research Project Grant (R01) applications from institutions/organizations that propose to develop basic and applied projects utilizing systems science methodologies relevant to human behavioral and social sciences and health. This FOA is intended to encourage a broader scope of topics to be addressed with systems science methodologies, beyond those encouraged by existing open FOAs. Research projects applicable to this FOA are those that are either applied or basic in nature (including methodological development), have a human behavioral and/or social science focus, and feature systems science methodologies

The Environment of Elder Care Nursing Research Grant co-sponsored by Hill-Rom will advance the science of nursing through research focused on critical aspects of elder care including clear lungs, no falls, safe skin, patient comfort and ease-of-use. Applications from novice researchers who have received no other national research funds are encouraged. Preference will be given to Sigma Theta Tau International members, other qualifications being equal.

Multimorbidity, having two or more chronic conditions, is a complex challenge for doctors. This challenge becomes even more complex when treating patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (ADRD), as the clinical presentation and prolonged course of ADRD influence the diagnosis and treatment of comorbid illness. Compared to patients with other long-term disorders, those with dementia may have extreme multimorbidity, averaging four additional chronic medical disorders. The most common chronic comorbid conditions for ADRD patients are hypertension and diabetes, but other significant comorbidities include, but are not limited to, heart disease, heart failure, obstructive lung disease, and incontinence, as well as acute conditions like infectious diseases and hip fracture.

As the population of older adults continues to increase, the prevalence of diseases and conditions common in aging is expected to rise. Cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic lung diseases, dementia, and chronic kidney disease will likely continue to be the greatest sources of morbidity and mortality, as well as the costliest conditions to healthcare systems. However, older Americans infrequently have just one chronic health condition. In 2010, over two-thirds of Medicare beneficiaries had more than one chronic condition, and 14% had 6 or more chronic conditions. Disability and greater care needs associated with these conditions is leading to an increase in residence in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. Healthcare costs will continue to grow, with health-related spending expected to top 20% of gross domestic product by 2025.