# Advanced-Stage Development of a Geriatric Palliative Care Research Infrastructure

> **NIH NIH R33** · ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI · 2020 · $687,247

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
 Society is facing one of the largest public health challenges in its history - the growth of the population of
older adults and increasing morbidity due to chronic serious illness. Over the next decades, most physicians
will be caring for seriously ill older adults with physical and psychological symptom distress; progressive
functional dependence and frailty; high family support needs; and escalating health care resource use. Indeed,
the number of older adults with multiple chronic conditions is expected to increase by more than a third
between 2000 and 2030 and those with dementia will nearly double. Abundant evidence suggests that the
advanced stages of disease for most are characterized by inadequately treated physical distress; fragmented
care systems; poor communication between doctors, patients, and families; and strains on family caregivers.
 The philanthropically funded National Palliative Care Research Center (NPCRC) has served as a
collaborative mechanism for promoting interdisciplinary geriatric palliative care research since 2006. NPCRC
was established to promote and develop palliative care research across the U.S. It addressed the National
Academy of Medicine's recommendations to support a “cadre of experts whose numbers and talents are
sufficient to: a) supply leadership for scientifically-based and practically useful medical education; and b)
organize and conduct clinical, behavioral, and health services research for patients with serious and chronic
illness.” The NPCRC, in collaboration with NIA, has established priorities for palliative care research, enhanced
its evidence base, developed a new generation of researchers in palliative care, and created a national
community of scientists. NPCRC has funded 100 interdisciplinary investigators (54 in aging research) from 46
institutions and 21 states along the continuum from junior to senior faculty and engaged in a broad spectrum of
research dedicated to improving quality of life for persons living with serious illness.
 Our novel, research platform now forms the basis of our current R33 proposal to expand and enhance this
research infrastructure. We will establish a new network of geriatric palliative care research trainees through
collaboration across the palliative care focused post-doctoral programs in the U.S. For early-stage
investigators, we will lead a research technical assistance program encompassing workshops and webinars on
advanced statistical research methods, a grant writing (i.e., NIH K and R01 applications) skills workshop, and a
grant review program. We will support new initiatives in dementia and population-based research and training.
For experienced investigators, we will support the development and conduct of multisite collaborative geriatric
palliative care research by supporting networking and project start-up meetings leading to multisite studies
focusing on NIA research priorities in geriatric palliative care. Our proposal will advance rese...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10057783
- **Project number:** 1R33AG065726-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI
- **Principal Investigator:** MELISSA Diane ALDRIDGE
- **Activity code:** R33 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $687,247
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-08-01 → 2025-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10057783

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10057783, Advanced-Stage Development of a Geriatric Palliative Care Research Infrastructure (1R33AG065726-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10057783. Licensed CC0.

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