Tele-coaching to help dementia caregivers manage care-resistant behavior and prevent abuse

Testing Dementia Caregiver TeleCoaching to Reduce Episodes of Abuse and Neglect by Recognizing and Managing Care-Resistant Behaviors

NIH-funded research University of Alabama at Birmingham · NIH-10863855

A remote coaching program for family caregivers of people with Alzheimer's that teaches practical ways to handle care-resistant behaviors to reduce elder abuse and neglect.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Birmingham, United States)
Project IDNIH-10863855 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

If you care for someone with Alzheimer's or related dementia, this project offers remote coaching (CuRB-IT) that teaches practical strategies for situations when the person resists care. Caregivers are randomly assigned to receive coaching right away or after a short delay and will complete several surveys and daily diaries about care-resistant behaviors. The program focuses on problem-solving and coping skills to reduce caregiver distress and unsafe interactions. Researchers will compare outcomes over time to see whether the coaching lowers episodes of abuse or neglect.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adult family caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias who regularly face care-resistant behaviors.

Not a fit: People who are not caregivers, caregivers of people without care-resistant behaviors, or those unable to use phone/internet-based coaching are unlikely to benefit.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the program could lower harmful incidents and caregiver distress by giving families usable, remote strategies to manage care-resistant behaviors.

How similar studies have performed: Previous caregiver problem-solving and coaching programs have reduced caregiver distress and improved care, and this project applies that approach specifically to reducing abuse using tele-coaching.

Where this research is happening

Birmingham, 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 disease dementiaAlzheimer syndromeAlzheimer's Disease
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.