Understanding how hurricanes impact older adults with Alzheimer's and related dementias
Official title: Preventing Deaths Among Older Americans with Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Related Dementias Exposed to Hurricanes
Funded at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · NIH-10739038 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how hurricanes affect older adults with Alzheimer's and similar conditions, focusing on how these storms can disrupt their daily lives and health, so we can find better ways to keep them safe during disasters.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $2,107,715 |
| NIH project number | 1RF1AG083768-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10739038 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are older adults diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias living in hurricane-prone areas.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are younger or do not have Alzheimer's disease or related dementias may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the effects of hurricanes on older adults living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). It aims to understand how disasters disrupt essential services and daily routines, potentially leading to health declines and increased mortality. By analyzing healthcare, death, and weather data from hurricanes between 2001 and 2018, the study seeks to identify specific causes of death and the role of social vulnerability in these outcomes. The ultimate goal is to improve disaster preparedness and policy planning to protect this vulnerable population.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to strategies that significantly reduce mortality rates among older adults with ADRD during and after hurricanes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has indicated increased mortality among older adults with ADRD following hurricane exposure, suggesting that this approach is grounded in established findings.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bell, Susan Anne — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Bell, Susan Anne
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how brain activity changes may drive Alzheimer’s disease progression in a mouse model
Researchers are testing how changes in brain signals and protein cleanup processes affect the development of Alzheimer’s disease in mice.
-
Thiamine-boosting therapy for Alzheimer’s: understanding how benfotiamine may reduce harmful AGE in DP patients
A medication-based approach using high-dose vitamin B1 (benfotiamine) is studied to help people with Alzheimer's by reducing harmful sugar-related molecules.
-
Non-invasive tears biomarker for early Alzheimer's in LMICs
A low-cost, tear-based biomarker approach aims to detect early Alzheimer’s disease in older adults in Peru and similar settings.
-
Turning APOE4 into protective APOE2 or APOE3Christchurch to help with Alzheimer’s
A patient-facing explanation of a treatment idea that aims to change a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease in the brain.
-
Telomerase in Alzheimer’s Disease: how aging biology could influence memory and brain health
Researchers are exploring a new brain-aging mechanism linked to telomerase, with potential to slow or modify Alzheimer’s disease in people and improve cognitive function.
-
Biomarkers of Alzheimer’s Disease: Sensory, Motor, and Cognitive Clues
Researchers are testing simple sensory and movement tasks to find early signs of Alzheimer’s disease so they can diagnose and treat people sooner.
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.