title: Examining strategies to build and sustain healthy aging programming collaboratives.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Community collaboratives provide a means to build local capacity, reduce service fragmentation and duplication, maximize efficiency, and create synergies for systems change. But what are the collaborative practices that aging services providers and other stakeholders employ for system change and impact in evidence-based programming for older adults?
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to learn how aging and health collaborations created strategic partnerships to foster multisector systems change and pursue long-term goals and near-term activities to sustain and expand evidence-based health programming.
  
  
  METHODS
  Via a multiphase process, we identified eight geographically diverse, exemplar agencies that serve as the coordinators for various community collaborations. Using an interview protocol culled from the literature, we conducted on-site, in-depth interviews with leadership and partners.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four creative strategies emerged across sites as contributing to the growth and sustainability of evidence-based health programming including engagement of nontraditional partners, development of new relationships with health care, building of innovative systems of structures and tools, and systematically working with vulnerable populations. Opportunities for future initiatives include enhancing linkages with health care, advocating for the value of evidence-based programming, supporting local program development and adaptation, and developing marketing strategies and business models.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These eight organizations are leveraging their historic strengths and newly acquired expertise to extend health programming beyond established partners and funding silos. The four strategies and specific activities reflected in their work have laid a solid foundation for expanding and embedding future initiatives and positively impacting the health of older adults.
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA mary_altpeter@unc.edu.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Altpeter
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Ellen Caylor
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.affiliation: National Council on Aging, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Whitelaw
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D057191:Capacity Building / Q000379:methods*; D019058:Community Networks / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D014481:United States
keywords: aging and health; community collaboratives; health promotion; partnerships