Building the National Dementia Care Workforce
Official title: The National Dementia Workforce Study
Funded at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · NIH-11167637 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will gather nationwide information about the clinicians and care staff who support people living with dementia to help improve dementia care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $16,199,653 |
| NIH project number | 5U54AG084520-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11167637 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This project mainly enrolls clinicians and care staff (community clinicians, nursing home, home care, and assisted living staff) rather than patients with dementia.
✕Less likely to help
People with dementia should not expect direct medical treatment or personal clinical benefits from this project, since it focuses on surveying and building workforce data rather than delivering care.
What this research studies
As someone living with dementia or caring for someone who is, this project asks clinicians and care staff about their training, roles, and work conditions so we know who is providing dementia care and where gaps exist. The team will run four national surveys of community clinicians, nursing home staff, home care staff, and assisted living staff and will link those surveys to other data sources. Expert cores will handle survey design, data collection, masking, cleaning, and sharing so researchers and policymakers can use the information safely. The goal is to guide decisions on staffing, training, and resources that affect the care people with dementia receive.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to better-trained staff, improved staffing levels, and more accessible, higher-quality care for people living with dementia.
How similar studies have gone: Workforce and provider surveys have informed policy in other health areas, but a coordinated national effort focused specifically on dementia care at this scale is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Maust, Donovan T — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Maust, Donovan T
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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.