Dr. Trudy Gaillard’s research focuses on reducing barriers to health care access and promoting healthy aging among culturally different older adults. She was the recipient of a National Institute on Aging award (Award #R24AG067951) for the Florida Statewide Registry for Aging Studies. Dr. Gaillard led a tri-institutional, multidisciplinary team of researchers with the goal of leveraging intergenerational influence—the interaction between generations—to enhance the involvement of underrepresented populations in aging research. A central component of this work involves engaging family members to support recruitment, enrollment, and education around research participation. By doing so, the team aims to increase awareness, build trust, and address long-standing disparities in research representation among vulnerable populations in Florida.
This body of work highlights the importance of intergenerational influence in health decision-making, particularly regarding research participation. Although older adults frequently seek advice and discuss health concerns with trusted family members, Dr. Gaillard’s findings reveal that most individuals still make their final health care and research participation decisions independently. These insights are crucial for designing responsive and effective engagement strategies.
Dr. Gaillard’s research is grounded in strong community-engaged action research and long-standing partnerships with community-based organizations, faith leaders, and key stakeholders across the state of Florida. The results emphasize the importance of collaborating with trusted community leaders to deliver health messages and promote research participation. These collaborative efforts also build sustainable relationships that empower communities and enhance the relevance and impact of aging-related research. Ultimately, Dr. Gaillard’s work seeks to advance healthy aging by removing barriers, building trust, and promoting person-centered care models.