# Management of Complex Medication Regimens among Older Adults with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias and their Caregivers

> **NIH NIH K01** · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $121,953

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) are progressive diseases characterized by their debilitating
impact on cognitive function. Adults ages 65 years and older represent the majority of cases, and are managing
not only ADRD, but multiple chronic conditions (MCC) that are common with advancing age. Adherence to
prescribed medication regimens is critical to optimize both cognitive and physical health, but is especially difficult
in the context of multidrug regimens. Little is known about how older adults with ADRD self-manage their
medications, how these responsibilities transition to caregivers as the disease progresses, how capable
caregivers are to fulfill these responsibilities, and how ambulatory care practices support patients and caregivers
to ensure safe medication use and adherence. This K01 application seeks to provide training for Dr. Rachel
O’Conor to launch an independent research agenda focused on understanding the cognitive and psychosocial
determinants of chronic disease self-management behaviors and health outcomes for older adults and their
caregivers as they manage complex chronic conditions, including ADRD. To achieve this goal, her short-term
training goals are to: acquire scientific knowledge in ADRD pathophysiology and care, gain exposure to the
clinical management of older adults with ADRD in geriatric and specialty memory clinics, gain experience
conducting research with cognitively impaired individuals and their caregivers, and obtain formal training in
longitudinal data analysis and advanced statistical techniques. The objective of the proposed research is to
examine medication self-management behaviors among a diverse sample of older adults with ADRD + MCC
and their caregivers. Dr. O’Conor will partner with the Northwestern Alzheimer’s Disease Center and an ongoing,
NIA-funded cognitive aging cohort study to conduct complementary mixed methods investigations. The research
aims are to 1) Examine the evolving strategies employed by older adults with ADRD and their caregivers to self-
manage multidrug regimens as the disease progresses over time; 2) Characterize barriers primary care clinicians
face engaging older adults and caregivers in the management of ADRD and MCC; 3) Investigate associations
between cognitive decline and medication self-management behaviors among older adults managing complex
multidrug regimens; 4) Explore factors influencing associations between cognitive decline and medication self-
management behaviors. The proposed investigations will inform the development and evaluation of a primary
care based intervention to support older adults with ADRD + MCC and their caregivers in their medication
management, and serve as the foundation for a unique cohort study to prospectively investigate how older adults
with early stage ADRD + MCC and their caregivers transition medication self-management roles over the disease
course, and its impact on health outcomes.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10104256
- **Project number:** 1K01AG070107-01
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Rachel O'Conor
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $121,953
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-01-15 → 2025-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10104256

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10104256, Management of Complex Medication Regimens among Older Adults with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias and their Caregivers (1K01AG070107-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10104256. Licensed CC0.

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