Tracking daily life and shared support in older couples
The RSELVES Study: Remote Sensing of (older adult partners') Engagement in Life and Variability in Everyday Support
It uses in-home sensors to see whether patterns of shared daily activities between older cohabiting partners relate to changes in memory and everyday abilities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Oregon Health & Science University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Portland, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11245773 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You and your partner would be asked to live with simple, noninvasive sensors and activity monitors in your home while continuing your usual routines. The team will collect movement and activity data, plus brief questionnaires and periodic memory and daily function checks. Researchers will look at how partners' routines line up or change over time and whether those patterns match changes in thinking, mood, or ability to do everyday tasks. The methods are designed to capture real-life interactions between partners to spot early signs of decline and potential supportive behaviors.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are cohabiting older-adult couples, particularly when one or both partners are at increased risk for or in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment.
Not a fit: People who live alone, younger adults, or those with advanced dementia who cannot take part in in-home monitoring are unlikely to benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help spot early changes in daily functioning and identify partner-based routines or supports that might slow decline for people at risk for Alzheimer's.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown that activity levels often fall before functional loss, but continuous remote sensing focused on couples and their interdependent routines is relatively new and less proven.
Where this research is happening
Portland, United States
- Oregon Health & Science University — Portland, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Anderson, Lyndsey Medora — Oregon Health & Science University
- Study coordinator: Anderson, Lyndsey Medora
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.