Using social connections to help older adults sleep better and practice mindfulness in housing communities
Leveraging social networks to improve sleep and mindfulness among older adults in residential housing facilities
This project will deliver sleep education and guided mindfulness through peer networks to help older adults in low-income housing sleep better and support brain health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11195616 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From your perspective, the team will bring an existing Sleep Health and Wellness (SHAW) program into residential housing and add guided mindfulness practices to help with sleep and stress. They will work directly with cognitively unimpaired residents aged 55 and older in low-income housing in Boston, getting repeated feedback and prototyping materials so they are easy to use. The program uses trusted social networks among residents to share sleep and mindfulness messages and encourage participation. The goal is to make the content usable, acceptable, and feasible in these community settings to help improve sleep and potentially reduce Alzheimer’s risk factors.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are cognitively unimpaired adults aged 55 and older who live in low-income residential housing in the Boston area and are willing to take part in peer-delivered sleep and mindfulness activities.
Not a fit: People with diagnosed dementia, significant cognitive impairment, or those living outside the targeted housing communities are unlikely to benefit from participating in this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could improve sleep, lower stress, and potentially reduce Alzheimer's-related risk by targeting modifiable sleep health factors.
How similar studies have performed: Mindfulness and sleep-education programs have helped older adults improve sleep and reduce stress in prior work, but delivering these through peer networks for Alzheimer prevention is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Brigham and Women's Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Robbins, Rebecca — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Robbins, Rebecca
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.