A new $13 million National Institute on Aging grant is funding vital research into the impact of health policies on people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
Professor Kali Thomas, PhD, MA, recently installed as Leonard and Helen R. Stulman Professor in Aging and Community Health, co-leads the effort alongside Dr. Amal Trivedi of Brown University. With the number of people living with dementia expected to triple by 2050, the research focuses on addressing gaps in current health policies, many of which are designed for “average” patients rather than high-cost, high-need populations. The team will examine issues such as Medicare Advantage contract terminations, Medicaid policy shifts during COVID-19, and payment changes for hospice and home health care.
Equity will be a cornerstone of the project, with interviews conducted across diverse stakeholders, including caregivers, health systems, and policy experts. “Ultimately, this work aims to inform policies that improve care access, quality, and equity for people living with dementia and their caregivers,” said Dr. Thomas.
She emphasized the importance of including voices often left out of policy discussions. “We want to understand the experiences of patients and their families so the solutions we create are grounded in their realities,” she said. The team’s findings will be shared through publications and LTCFocus.org, an interactive platform for policymakers, the media, and researchers.
Katherine Ornstein, PhD, Johns Hopkins Center for Equity in Aging Director and Professor, will co-lead a research project examining access and use of home health care among persons with dementia.
Additional Center for Equity in Aging faculty on the research team include Associate Professor Anna Beeber, PhD, RN, FAAN, FGSA, and Associate Professor Laura Samuel, PhD, RN, FAAN. Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Assistant Professor Stephanie Nothelle, MD is also on the project in addition to scholars from six institutions across the country.
“I am thrilled that so many of our Center faculty will be engaged in this timely and ambitious project that will be critical to understanding how policy changes impact older adults,” said Dr. Ornstein.