# Uncovering the Causes, Contexts, and Consequences of Elder Mistreatment in People with Dementia

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · 2023 · $227,617

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
 The primary objective of the parent project is to investigate the underlying mechanisms that lead to
elder mistreatment (EM) among people living with Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias (ADRD).
Applying the Abuse Intervention Model as a theoretical framework, the project identifies EM risk and protective
factors among persons living with ADRD (the potential victim), their care partner (CP; potential perpetrator), and
the context in which they are situated.5 As originally proposed, study recruitment procedures relied heavily on
clinical recruitment of people living with ADRD and their CPs in dementia care clinics. The COVID-19 pandemic
drastically affected clinical operations, healthcare utilization patterns, and likelihood of patient research
participation, resulting in overall low study enrollment, an underrepresentation of Black participants, and potential
sample biases. The proposed supplemental activities will enable expansion of community-based
recruitment through inclusion of additional sites and types of organizations and by fully utilizing our
enlarged target geographic area throughout Southern California. Though initially ancillary to clinical
recruitment efforts, the project seeks to establish community-based referral strategies as the study’s primary
referral source. Aim 1: Expand use of community-based referral strategies to recruit a diverse study
sample. Piloted as a potential approach to bolster recruitment efforts in response to clinical recruitment
challenges, community-based referral strategies have yielded much-needed participant volume and sample
diversity. Efforts to recruit study participants from caregiving organizations and adult day health care centers will
be expanded to include sites throughout the vast Southern California region. Recruitment will also be broadened
to initiate work with faith-based communities, older adult housing sites, retiree organizations, senior centers, and
academic gerontology/geriatrics programs. Organizations serving racially diverse groups and populations with
low socioeconomic status will be prioritized to facilitate greater recruitment of groups underrepresented in our
preliminary sample. Aim 1a: Implement culturally tailored recruitment approaches to engage Black people
living with ADRD and their CPs in research. Recruitment partnerships will be strengthened and expanded
with Black-serving organizations and those serving geographic areas with high proportions of Black residents.
Connections will also be strengthened and established with churches and other faith-based communities to build
trust and rapport with prospective Black participants. Aim 2: Collect data on characteristics of individuals
living with ADRD and their CPs, their caregiving relationship, and the environment in which they interact.
Research interviews will be conducted with newly recruited study participants to systematically collect data on
potential risk factors for EM. Interviews will be conducted with e...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10696719
- **Project number:** 3R01AG060096-05S2
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Zachary D Gassoumis
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $227,617
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2018-08-15 → 2024-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10696719

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10696719, Uncovering the Causes, Contexts, and Consequences of Elder Mistreatment in People with Dementia (3R01AG060096-05S2). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10696719. Licensed CC0.

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