Utilizing Palliative Leaders In Facilities to Transform Care for Alzheimer's Disease

Description

The purpose of this study is to evaluate a comprehensive model for integrating both primary and specialty Palliative Care for older adults with dementia into nursing facilities. Palliative Care is a supportive care approach that aims to improve the quality of life of patients and their families facing serious or life-threatening illnesses, through the prevention and relief of suffering through the treatment of pain and other problems, using physical, psychosocial and spiritual approaches. Palliative care is specialized medical care for people who are living with a serious illness. This type of care is focused on providing relief from the symptoms and from the stress of the illness. The goal is to improve quality of life for both patient and family. The UPLIFT-AD model will include providing education on primary Palliative Care for residents with dementia to nursing facility staff, training nursing facility staff in providing primary Palliative Care, and providing access to specialty Palliative Care consultations for residents. To help understand the impact of these interventions, this study will also collect information about resident health, the care they receive, and perceptions of their quality of life according to both family members and nursing facility staff.

Conditions

Alzheimer Disease

Study Overview

Study Details

Study overview

The purpose of this study is to evaluate a comprehensive model for integrating both primary and specialty Palliative Care for older adults with dementia into nursing facilities. Palliative Care is a supportive care approach that aims to improve the quality of life of patients and their families facing serious or life-threatening illnesses, through the prevention and relief of suffering through the treatment of pain and other problems, using physical, psychosocial and spiritual approaches. Palliative care is specialized medical care for people who are living with a serious illness. This type of care is focused on providing relief from the symptoms and from the stress of the illness. The goal is to improve quality of life for both patient and family. The UPLIFT-AD model will include providing education on primary Palliative Care for residents with dementia to nursing facility staff, training nursing facility staff in providing primary Palliative Care, and providing access to specialty Palliative Care consultations for residents. To help understand the impact of these interventions, this study will also collect information about resident health, the care they receive, and perceptions of their quality of life according to both family members and nursing facility staff.

Utilizing Palliative Leaders In Facilities to Transform Care for Alzheimer's Disease

Utilizing Palliative Leaders In Facilities to Transform Care for Alzheimer's Disease

Condition
Alzheimer Disease
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

Indianapolis

American Senior Communities, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, 46201

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • * Long-stay resident in an enrolled nursing home defined as not paying through Medicare Part A at the enrolled facility.
  • * Has a diagnosis of moderate to severe ADRD, as measured on the Minimum Data Set (MDS)
  • * Length of stay \>30 days
  • * Family member and/or surrogate decision maker for an eligible resident in an enrolled nursing home
  • * English-speaking
  • * Staff, nurse, or nurse assistant in an enrolled nursing facility
  • * English-speaking

Ages Eligible for Study

18 Years to

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Collaborators and Investigators

Indiana University,

Kathleen T Unroe, MD, MHA, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, Indiana University

John Cagle, PhD, MSW, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, University of Maryland, Baltimore

Study Record Dates

2025-09