An Interview with Cora Plass and the National Council on Aging

Cora Plass is the Senior Director with NCOA’s National Chronic Disease Self-Management Education (CDSME) Resource Center in the Center for Healthy Aging.

1.  What is your organization’s interest in the Osteoarthritis Action Alliance (OAAA)?

NCOA’s social impact goal is to improve the health and economic security of 10 million older adults by 2020. We recognize the importance of prevention and appropriate treatment of arthritis to achieve this goal. Arthritis is one of the most common chronic conditions and the leading cause of disability. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form
of arthritis. Although there is no cure for OA, effective interventions designed to control and manage the disease are available, including physical activity and self-management education. Stanford’s community-based Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) in Spanish and English and its Better Choices, Better Health® online Arthritis Self-Management Program and CDSMP have been proven effective for adults with arthritis. Benefits include improvements in self-efficacy to manage one’s condition, mental and physical self-reported health, exercise, and communication with physicians.

As the National Resource Center for the Administration for Community Living (ACL), NCOA’s CDSME Resource Center has two overarching goals: 1) Provide leadership, technical assistance, guidance, and resources to assist the national network of CDSME partners with increasing the number of older adults and adults with disabilities who complete an evidence-based CDSME program; and 2) Strengthen and expand integrated, sustainable evidence-based prevention program networks within states/regions/tribal entities to provide evidence-based CDSME programs. To a lesser extent but no less important, the Resource Center supports physical activity and other evidence-based programs.

Our sister National Falls Prevention Resource Center at NCOA was funded by ACL to serve as the national clearinghouse of tools, resources, and best practices for falls and supports the implementation of evidence-based falls prevention programs. Because people with OA are more likely to fall and suffer an injury than those without arthritis, our Falls Prevention Resource Center also wants to participate as a partner with the OAAA.

By connecting with the OAAA, our Centers can work together to fulfill our respective missions to build partnerships and share resources to help more people with arthritis gain access to self-management education, physical activity, falls prevention, and other evidence-based programs to help them manage their conditions and improve their health status and quality of life. Further, we can work together to coordinate efforts with health care delivery systems to enhance referral mechanisms and embed evidence-based programming as part of the treatment regimen for adults with arthritis.

2.  What do you think is the most important issue today related to aging and osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is put in the backburner during doctor visits, particularly with older adults who may be struggling to manage multiple chronic conditions. Yet, if ignored, osteoarthritis can cause immense pain, limit mobility, and lead to social isolation and loss of independence. It is critical to educate the public and health care providers about the importance of identifying the type of arthritis and recommending appropriate treatment and management, including participation in evidence-based self-management education, physical activity, and falls prevention programs. By working together, we can increase access to and use of these programs, so that they become the standard of care for people with OA and other chronic conditions. NCOA is partnering with ACL, CDC, and many other national, state, and local organizations toward this aim. We are very pleased to join forces with OAAA and look forward to growing this new partnership to make an even greater impact.

3. How does your organization’s work connect to issues in osteoarthritis?

According to the national database for evidence-based falls prevention programs, arthritis is the number one condition reported by 60% of program participants. Similarly, over 35% of CDSME participants have reported having arthritis, the second most frequently reported condition. The National CDSME and Falls Prevention Resource Centers at NCOA are very interested in targeting individuals with osteoarthritis and recruiting them into evidence-based CDSME, physical activity, and falls prevention programs. Through growing partnerships with health care organizations, individuals with osteoarthritis are being referred into these programs. NCOA’s public policy team works around the year to advocate for increased federal funding to support evidence-based programs.

4. What is a headline you’d like to see about osteoarthritis in five years?

Osteoarthritis-related pain and disability are on the decline, thanks to increased participation in evidence-based programs that promote self-care and active lifestyles.

5. What is one interesting fact you’d like people to know about your organization?

As a trusted national partner, NCOA had worked for 65 years to support older adults in meeting the challenges of aging. In addition to the Center for Healthy Aging, which houses ACL’s two National Resource Centers, NCOA also operates the Center for Benefits Access, focused on enrolling adults into benefits programs for which they are eligible, and the National Institute of Senior Centers, a network of hundreds of centers across the country. Furthermore, NCOA has pioneered the development of the Aging Mastery Program (AMP), a 10-week curriculum to support older adults in navigating the opportunities and challenges of longevity.