Better palliative and hospice care for people with Alzheimer's and related dementias
Official title: Understanding and Improving Palliative Care Delivery among Persons with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD): A Mixed-Methods Study
Funded at Oregon Health & Science University · NIH-11304497 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will try offering hospice alongside usual medical care to improve end-of-life support for people with Alzheimer's and related dementias and their families.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Oregon Health & Science University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Portland, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $699,302 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG083858-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11304497 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People living with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias—especially those with advanced illness or nearing end-of-life—and their family caregivers are the most relevant candidates for participation or to benefit from findings.
✕Less likely to help
People without dementia, those in very early stages who are not near end-of-life, or individuals outside participating health systems may not directly benefit from this project.
What this research studies
The team will use both number-driven analyses of medical and hospice records and interviews with clinicians, caregivers, and family members to learn how concurrent hospice and usual care are currently used. They will compare outcomes for people who receive concurrent care versus usual care using large datasets and health records. They will also gather stories and insights from clinicians and families to identify barriers and practical changes that help patients. Together these methods will point to concrete steps health systems and policymakers can take to improve end-of-life care for people with ADRD.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could increase access to coordinated hospice and palliative care and lead to better symptom relief, less costly hospital care, and stronger support for families at the end of life.
How similar studies have gone: Offering hospice alongside usual care has improved outcomes in advanced cancer, but applying concurrent care specifically to Alzheimer's and related dementias is relatively untested.
Where this research is happening
-
Oregon Health & Science University
Portland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sullivan, Donald R — Oregon Health & Science University
- Study coordinator: Sullivan, Donald R
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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.