# Improvement in Patients' Cognition and Relationship with SNF Quality Measures

> **NIH NIH K01** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON · 2020 · $122,508

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
I am an assistant professor in the Division of Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Texas Medical Branch
in Galveston, Texas. The purpose of this K01 proposal is to provide me with the knowledge, analytical skill,
and experience necessary to become a successful investigator. To me, this means I will develop a funded
research program that advances the quality of post-acute care for older adults, in particular for those with
cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. My K01 application is focused on skilled
nursing facilities (SNFs) because they are the most frequent post-acute care site for older adults. My training in
gerontology has focused on analyzing cognitive data and using large data sets to identify potentially modifiable
risk factors for cognitive impairment and dementia. During the K01 period, I will receive training in four areas
that build upon my prior training in gerontology and expertise on the epidemiology of dementia: (1) Health
characteristics, assessment process, quality outcomes and follow-up needs associated with older adults
receiving SNF care; (2) Operational standards and regulatory (decision making) policies of SNFs; (3) Statistical
skills for studying post-acute care outcomes using claims data; and (4) Career advancement and leadership
development. Training in these areas will include coursework, shadowing interdisciplinary teams in clinical
settings, and experiences accessing, managing, and analyzing Medicare files. This training will make me a
researcher with a highly-informed view of healthcare policy and clinical context. My training activities have
been integrated with a research project in which I will use national Medicare data files (2012-2014) to complete
the following specific aims: (A) Evaluate the change in cognitive status during a SNF stay for older adults with
impaired cognition on admission; (B) Examine the variation across SNFs in the percentage of patients with
impaired cognition on admission whose cognitive status improves during a SNF stay; and (C) Assess the
relationship between cognitive status on admission, improvement in cognitive status during a SNF stay, and
performance on SNF quality measures. The expected findings of this research can inform clinical interventions
that target patient- and facility-level characteristics associated with improved cognitive status. The findings can
also inform healthcare policies meant to incentivize nursing homes to provide high-quality post-acute care.
Completion of the K01 mentored training and research plans will provide me with the knowledge and skills
necessary to develop a program of research that will advance the quality of post-acute care for older adults, in
particular for older adults with cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9843089
- **Project number:** 5K01AG058789-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON
- **Principal Investigator:** Brian Gregory Downer
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $122,508
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-01-01 → 2023-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9843089

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9843089, Improvement in Patients' Cognition and Relationship with SNF Quality Measures (5K01AG058789-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9843089. Licensed CC0.

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