NEXT STEPS: a national network to support nursing home Alzheimer’s and dementia partnerships
The NH Explanatory Trials Network: Supporting Transformation by Enhancing Partnerships (The NEXT STEPS).
This project builds a national network to make it easier and fairer to run Alzheimer’s and dementia research in nursing homes by helping staff, residents, families, and researchers work together.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Indiana University Indianapolis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Indianapolis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11176260 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient and family perspective, NEXT STEPS will connect nursing homes, clinicians, researchers, residents, and care partners to identify the biggest research needs in dementia care and create practical solutions. The project will set up cores for coordination, recruitment and retention, methods and data, and pilot projects and training to help studies start and run smoothly in nursing homes. Teams will produce toolkits, consensus-based guidance, and training/mentorship so nursing home staff and researchers can partner equitably. Pilot projects will test approaches on the ground and the network will share lessons to improve care and study participation across participating facilities.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are residents of participating U.S. nursing homes who have Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia, along with their care partners and families who want to be involved in improving care and research.
Not a fit: People who do not live in participating nursing homes or who do not have dementia (or are not connected to a participating resident) are unlikely to directly benefit from this specific network.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this network could increase access to well-run dementia studies in nursing homes and speed up improvements in care and treatments for residents with Alzheimer’s and related dementias.
How similar studies have performed: Other national clinical trial networks have improved enrollment and study quality, but a dedicated national infrastructure focused on nursing homes and dementia care is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Indianapolis, United States
- Indiana University Indianapolis — Indianapolis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Unroe, Kathleen T — Indiana University Indianapolis
- Study coordinator: Unroe, Kathleen T
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.