Improving Lewy Body Dementia Care Through Virtual Visits
Multi-Stakeholder Engagement for Interdisciplinary Telehealth in Lewy Body Dementia
This project aims to make specialized care for Lewy body dementia and its caregivers more accessible by offering it through virtual visits.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Gainesville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11101336 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Lewy body dementia (LBD) is a common type of dementia that significantly impacts both patients and their caregivers, often requiring continuous supervision. While a specialized care model exists to address physical, cognitive, and social needs, it's not widely available across the country. This project plans to transform this in-person care into a virtual platform, making it easier for patients and caregivers to access. We will then conduct a small pilot study with 30 individuals with LBD and their caregivers to see if this virtual approach is practical and helpful. We will also test a wearable sensor to track patient movement and activity.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be individuals diagnosed with Lewy body dementia and their caregivers who may struggle to access in-person specialized care.
Not a fit: Patients who already have easy access to comprehensive in-person specialized care for Lewy body dementia may not see additional benefit from this virtual model.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could significantly improve access to specialized, comprehensive care for individuals with Lewy body dementia and reduce the burden on their caregivers.
How similar studies have performed: While the specific virtual adaptation is new, the in-person interdisciplinary care model has shown promise, and telehealth approaches have been successful in other conditions.
Where this research is happening
Gainesville, United States
- University of Florida — Gainesville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Patel, Bhavana — University of Florida
- Study coordinator: Patel, Bhavana
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.