Nursing home care quality for people with Alzheimer's and related dementias
Disparities in the Quality of Nursing Home Care
This project looks at whether people with Alzheimer's or related dementias—especially Black, Hispanic, or low-income Medicare patients—get different quality care in nursing homes and what policy changes might help.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11309133 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you or a loved one has Alzheimer's or another dementia and needs a Medicare-covered nursing home, this work examines whether the care received varies by race, ethnicity, income, or dementia status. Researchers will use national Medicare and nursing home data to calculate each facility's effect on residents' health, function, and dementia outcomes. They will compare results for Black non-Hispanic, Hispanic, dual-eligible, and other groups to document disparities. The team will also model potential policy options aimed at reducing unfair differences and improving care.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias who receive Medicare-covered nursing home care, especially Black, Hispanic, or dual-eligible (Medicare and Medicaid) residents, are the focus of this work.
Not a fit: People who are not in Medicare-covered nursing homes, those without dementia, or those receiving only home-based care are unlikely to be directly affected by these findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could guide policies that reduce unfair differences and improve nursing home care for people with dementia.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research has documented nursing home quality differences using Medicare data, but applying a facility value-added approach to pinpoint causes and model policy fixes is a newer and less-tested direction.
Where this research is happening
Cambridge, United States
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology — Cambridge, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Finkelstein, Amy N. — Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Finkelstein, Amy N.
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.