# Relationships of dementia care workforce experiences, training, & work environment to resident outcomes in skilled nursing facilities

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · 2024 · $470,375

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY ABSTRACT
Alzheimer's disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S., and the number of
Americans living with Alzheimer's disease or Alzheimer's disease-related dementias
(AD/ADRD) is expected to increase from 5.7 to 14 million by 2050. Therefore, the need for a
qualified and sustainable workforce is now more important than ever. Direct care nursing staff
such as licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and certified nursing assistants (CNAs) are an
essential part of the workforce in skilled nursing facilities, caring for more than 700,000 U.S.
residents diagnosed with AD/ADRD. Understanding the interactions between factors that impact
work environment, workforce characteristics, and dementia care training are important to better
inform programs that can improve health outcomes for AD/ADRD residents in US skilled nursing
facilities and make for appealing dementia care jobs. Very little is known about the
characteristics of the front-line dementia care workforce, their work environment as it relates to
caring for residents with AD/ADRD (e.g., resident to staff violence; racial discrimination); and the
specialized training this low-wage workforce receives, especially when only half of the U.S.
states require specific dementia care training. The ultimate goal of this research study is to
better understand how these relationships impact the care outcomes among residents. We will
do so by accomplishing the following: (1) survey LPNs and CNAs on their work environment and
dementia care training experiences; (2) conduct focus groups among a sub-sample of facility
directors of nursing or directors of staff development to do an in depth examination of the
elements in their dementia care training; and (3) look at whether worker experiences and
training components are associated with care outcomes. The proposed study aligns with several
objectives outlined in NIA's Strategic Plan, specifically Goal E: Improve our understanding of the
consequences of an aging society to inform intervention development and policy decisions and
Goal F: Understand health disparities related to aging and develop strategies to improve the
health status of older adults in diverse populations. More specifically, it supports NOSI NOT-
AG-20-026 by conducting research on the impact of dementia care training on quality as well as
the supports available to the dementia care workforce in SNFs to encourage retention. Results
will provide an evidence base on which to amend or create new current state policies regarding
the content needed in dementia care training programs among this workforce.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10837035
- **Project number:** 5R01AG074227-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- **Principal Investigator:** LAURA M WAGNER
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $470,375
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-08-15 → 2026-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10837035

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10837035, Relationships of dementia care workforce experiences, training, & work environment to resident outcomes in skilled nursing facilities (5R01AG074227-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10837035. Licensed CC0.

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