Screening and support to prevent caregiver and elder abuse in older adults with MCI or dementia

Developing, Implementing, and Evaluating a Caregiver and Elder Abuse Screening, Risk Assessment and Treatment to Improve Outcomes for Older and Vulnerable Adults with MCI/ADRD

NIH-funded research University of Texas Med Br Galveston · NIH-11384231

This project will create and use an easy screening tool plus brief support for older adults with mild cognitive impairment or dementia and their caregivers in primary care.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Texas Med Br Galveston NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Galveston, United States)
Project IDNIH-11384231 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

If I join, researchers will interview people with mild cognitive impairment or dementia and their caregivers to learn what increases or protects against elder abuse. They will build a simple primary-care screening that includes questions about caregiver risk and deliver a two-part brief educational support for patients and caregivers modeled on SBIRT. The team will pilot the screening and intervention in diverse primary care clinics around Galveston and southeast Texas to help staff spot and respond to abuse. Patients identified at risk may be offered referrals and resources to reduce harm.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Older adults with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias who receive care at participating primary care clinics and their caregivers are ideal candidates.

Not a fit: People without cognitive impairment, those not receiving care at participating clinics, or those who are not at risk of caregiver or elder abuse may not directly benefit.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could help detect elder abuse earlier, reduce harm for people with MCI/ADRD, and connect families to helpful resources.

How similar studies have performed: SBIRT-style screening and brief interventions have worked in areas like substance use and intimate partner violence, but applying this approach specifically to elder abuse in people with MCI or dementia is relatively new.

Where this research is happening

Galveston, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Alzheimer's disease and related dementiaAlzheimer's disease and related disordersAlzheimer's disease or a related dementiaAlzheimer's disease or a related disorder
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.