Feinstein Institutes Awarded $8.9M for Care Planning Program in Older Adults and Those With Dementia

The award will fund a new clinical trial, using trained educators and video education aids to empower patients to make informed decisions about their medical care

MANHASSET, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Northwell Health’s Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research aims to transform advanced care planning for older adults and those with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. The Feinstein Institutes secured a multi-year $8.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Institute on Aging (NIA) and will collaborate with Tufts University and Dartmouth Health to conduct the Advancing Ethical Goals in Society (AEGIS) clinical trial. This is part of a larger grant from the NIA totaling more than $40 million.

AEGIS will be led by Edith Burns, MD, professor in the Institute of Health System Science at the Feinstein Institutes, and co-investigators, Santiago Lopez, MD, interim chief of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine for Northwell Health’s central market, and Philip Solomon, MD, director of Faculty Development and Education, Northwell Institute for Healthy Aging. They will develop video education tools and deploy a dedicated force of trained Advanced Care Planning (ACP) educators. This approach will empower older patients and individuals grappling with Alzheimer’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease related dementias (AD/ADRD), and their families, to confidently navigate complex medical decisions, ensuring their personal wishes for care are understood and honored.

“This funding is critical to ensure older adults and patients with dementia receive care aligned with their values,” said Dr. Burns. “Through engaging video education and dedicated, trained educators, AEGIS will guide crucial conversations, helping families with decision making and lasting peace of mind.”

The AEGIS trial aims to deliver clear, accessible information with dedicated support so that patient preferences are acknowledged and upheld – this is particularly important for the AD/ADRD community. Dr. Burns and colleagues believe this approach will improve quality of life, alleviate healthcare burdens and promote dignified, compassionate care.

“This grant from NIH will support Dr. Burns’ efforts on behalf those living with dementia,” said Kevin J. Tracey, MD, president and CEO of the Feinstein Institutes and Karches Family Distinguished Chair in Medical Research. “This is a testament to Northwell’s commitment to innovation, which reaches beyond the lab and acute hospital events all the way into long-term and home care.”

About the Feinstein Institutes
The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research is the home of the research institutes of Northwell Health, the largest health care provider and private employer in New York State. Encompassing 50+ research labs, 3,000 clinical research studies and 5,000 researchers and staff, the Feinstein Institutes raises the standard of medical innovation through its six institutes of behavioral science, bioelectronic medicine, cancer, health system science, molecular medicine, and translational research. We are the global scientific leader in bioelectronic medicine – an innovative field of science that has the potential to revolutionize medicine. The Feinstein Institutes publishes two open-access, international peer-reviewed journals Molecular Medicine and Bioelectronic Medicine. Through the Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine, we offer an accelerated PhD program. For more information about how we produce knowledge to cure disease, visit http://feinstein.northwell.edu and follow us on LinkedIn.