Decision tool to help veterans with dementia and caregivers in the emergency room
A Shared Decision-Making Tool to Support Emergency Department Dispositions for Veterans with Dementia
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · DURHAM VA MEDICAL CENTER · NIH-11220434
Creates a short conversation aid to help veterans living with dementia, their caregivers, and ER clinicians decide whether to admit a patient or go home.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | DURHAM VA MEDICAL CENTER (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (DURHAM, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11220434 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
This project will build a simple tool used in the emergency room to guide conversations about whether a person with dementia should be admitted or discharged. Researchers will co-design the tool with veterans, caregivers, and ED staff and then try it during real ED visits at the Durham VA. They will track decisions made, return visits or hospitalizations, and how families and clinicians experience the process. The aim is to make disposition choices safer and more in line with patient and family wishes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are veterans aged 65 or older with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia who come to the Durham VA emergency department and face an unclear decision about hospital admission, with a caregiver available to join the conversation.
Not a fit: People with an obvious need for immediate hospital care, non-veterans, or patients without any available caregiver to participate may not benefit from this tool.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reduce unnecessary hospital stays, lower risks like delirium, and make care choices better match patient and caregiver preferences.
How similar studies have performed: Shared decision-making tools have improved communication and decision quality in other emergency settings, but applying this approach specifically to ED admission decisions for veterans with dementia is novel.
Where this research is happening
DURHAM, UNITED STATES
- DURHAM VA MEDICAL CENTER — DURHAM, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: SEIDENFELD, JUSTINE — DURHAM VA MEDICAL CENTER
- Study coordinator: SEIDENFELD, JUSTINE
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 below.