Caregiver networks around people with Alzheimer’s disease
Official title: Measuring Caregiver Networks of Older Adults with Alzheimer's Disease
Funded at Northwestern University · NIH-11372884 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A researcher at Northwestern University is testing a social-network method to map all the family and friend caregivers surrounding someone with Alzheimer’s to understand how relationships help or hinder care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $737,392 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG083034-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11372884 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are people living with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias and their multiple caregivers (family and friends) who contribute to care.
✕Less likely to help
Participants who have a single, primary caregiver with no involvement from others may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project uses a free, open-source tool called Network Canvas to map real-world caregiver networks for people with Alzheimer's and related dementias. It focuses on how multiple caregivers—beyond a single primary caregiver—work together, clash, and influence the care experience. By capturing positive and negative relationship dynamics, the study aims to create a fuller picture of who contributes to caregiving and how they interact. The results could help clinicians, families, and researchers better support diverse caregiving networks in real life.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could improve how families and clinicians coordinate care and support for people with Alzheimer’s by recognizing and strengthening broader caregiver networks.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows that expanding caregiver networks can reveal important dynamics that affect care quality, but this approach is still relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Northwestern University
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lindquist, Lee a — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Lindquist, Lee a
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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.