Dementia friendly in the context of hospitalization: a qualitative descriptive study on family caregiver inclusion

The National Institute on Aging awarded the University of Pennsylvania $198,164 on October 29, 2025, under the Aging Research program (CFDA 93.866) to support an Individual National Research Service Award (NRSA) for predoctoral research training focused on dementia-friendly hospitalization practices and family caregiver inclusion.

The award funds research training that enables the applicant, an acute care nurse and clinical nurse specialist, to develop competence in understanding the care of persons living with dementia (PLWD) and their family caregivers, establish foundational research skills with this vulnerable population, and advance professional development for academic rigor. The study employs qualitative, semi-structured interviews to examine key stakeholder perspectives on dementia-friendly practices and strategies for implementing family caregiver inclusion during hospitalization—a gap in knowledge particularly acute in the United States. The research addresses the documented higher rates of adverse outcomes that PLWD experience during hospitalization compared to older adults without dementia.

Work is performed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The performance period runs from October 29, 2025, through May 31, 2027. The applicant receives training support within a resource-rich environment backed by an advising team specializing in dementia care and research with vulnerable populations.

Abstract

The purpose of this individual national research service award (nrsa) is to provide research training that will enable the applicant to become an independent researcher focusing on interventions for improving outcomes and experiences of hospitalized persons living with dementia (plwd) and their family caregivers. This nrsa will ensure that the applicant achieves competence in establishing an understanding of the care of plwd and their family caregivers, develops foundational skills to commence a program of research with this vulnerable population, and gains professional development skills to advance in a rigorous academic setting. This training will occur in a resource rich environment with support from a world-renowned advising team ideally suited to the applicant's topic and training plan. Informed by her work as an acute care nurse and a clinical nurse specialist, the applicant has first-hand knowledge of the importance of improving the outcomes and experiences of hospitalization for plwd and their family caregivers. Plwd experience adverse outcomes resulting from hospitalization at greater rates than older adults without dementia. The term "dementia friendly" in the context of hospitalization, is a developing concept that describes initiatives aimed at addressing these adverse events and improving the experience of hospitalization for plwd and their family caregivers. The inclusion of family caregivers during hospitalization is a tenet of the dementia friendly concept and is considered a best practice in dementia care. Key stakeholder perspectives about dementia friendly practices, as well as strategies for implementing the inclusion of family caregivers, are lacking, especially in the united states. This study proposes to fill this GAP in knowledge through the following aims: using qualitative, semi-structured interviews, the perspectives of approximately 16 hospital dementia care triads, including hospital nurses who care for plwd, hospitalized plwd, and their family caregivers, will be gathered and analyzed to 1) describe the concept of dementia friendly in the context of hospitalization, 2) describe how family caregivers of plwd are currently and could be included during hospitalization, and 3) identify facilitators and barriers to the implementation of dementia friendly practices, including the effective inclusion of family caregivers of plwd during hospitalization. The study will use a descriptive, qualitative approach, guided by the consolidated framework for implementation research, to describe the triangulated perspectives of these affected individuals within and across the various role types. This study has the potential to provide new knowledge that will 1) advance the concept of dementia friendly in the context of hospitalization and 2) identify facilitators and barriers to the implementation of dementia friendly practices and the effective inclusion of family caregivers for plwd during hospitalization.