A digital tool to assess caregiving networks for older adults with dementia
Official title: CareNet, An Interactive Digital Tool to Assess Informal Caregiving Networks of Older Adults with Dementia
Funded at Emory University · NIH-10914299 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is creating a friendly digital tool to help understand how family and friends support older adults with dementia, so we can see how these relationships affect everyone’s well-being.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $664,169 |
| NIH project number | 5R56AG083167-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10914299 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are older adults diagnosed with dementia and their informal caregivers.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have dementia or those who are not involved in informal caregiving may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research aims to develop an interactive digital tool that evaluates the informal caregiving networks of older adults suffering from dementia. By focusing on the social dynamics among multiple caregivers, the project seeks to understand how these interactions influence the well-being of both caregivers and the individuals they care for. The tool will utilize an egocentric social network approach, allowing caregivers to provide insights into their experiences and the support they receive from their networks. This innovative assessment will help identify the complexities of caregiving relationships and their impact on health outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could enhance the support systems for caregivers and improve the quality of care for older adults with dementia.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown success in using social network approaches to understand caregiving dynamics, indicating that this method is promising.
Where this research is happening
-
Emory University
Atlanta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Song, Mi-Kyung — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Song, Mi-Kyung
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Investigating how DNA damage and repair mechanisms are altered in ALS and frontotemporal dementia.
This study is looking at how problems with DNA repair might contribute to conditions like ALS and frontotemporal dementia, and it’s testing ways to fix these issues in cells from patients to help develop new treatments.
-
Synthetic protein mimetics to treat Lewy Body Dementia
A new therapeutic approach using engineered protein-like molecules to block the harmful protein clumps that cause Lewy Body Dementia.
-
Dementia care staff study: adapting a US survey for use in many countries
A study is adapting and testing a survey for dementia care workers in the US, Brazil, Switzerland, and Ghana to help understand why workers stay in their jobs and how to improve care.
-
Dementia care staff study: adapting a survey for use in many countries
A multinational study will adapt and test a U.S. dementia-care worker survey in Brazil, Switzerland, and Ghana to help understand why staff stay in or leave long-term care settings.
-
Study of Dementia Care Staff in 4 Countries: Adapting Caregiver Surveys Across Cultures
A multinational project will adapt and test a dementia care worker survey so researchers can compare care environments across the US, Brazil, Switzerland, and Ghana.
-
New biomarkers to distinguish LATE from Alzheimer’s disease in dementia
A study to develop blood and CSF tests that can tell apart LATE from Alzheimer’s disease in people with dementia.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.