Nutrition and Dementia

Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, afflicting approximately 5.8 million Americans in 2020.  As the American population continues to live longer, the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias is expected to increase.  In many cases, dementia leads to serious nutritional problems as patients become unable to normally consume adequate nutrients, often due to swallowing impairments and loss of appetite.  Ultimately, patients usually experience weight loss, malnutrition, and dehydration.  Dr. Douglas’ research focuses on interventions to improve nutritional status and quality of life among older adults with dementia.

Dementia Care Training

Dr. Douglas is currently implementing and evaluating a training program to teach family caregivers and members of the health care team how to provide mealtime assistance to older adults with dementia.  In 2018, Dr. Douglas conducted a qualitative research project  to identify barriers to hand-feeding patients with dementia by conducting focus groups with Certified Nursing Assistants in Alabama nursing homes.  In 2019, she conducted a similar needs assessment with Registered Dietitians on their experiences in providing mealtime assistance to residents with dementia and their perceived training needs related to dementia care.  She also pilot-tested an innovative hand feeding technique with these Registered Dietitians.

View some of her research findings here:
douglas_lawrence_and_turner_-_social_ecological_perspectives_of_tube_feeding_older_adults_with_advanced_dementia_a_systematic_literature_review.pdf
​​shcj_2020_douglas.pdf
2019_gsa_poster-_perfect_dining_experience.pptx
2019_gsa_poster_2_from_cna_study_as_of_11-8-19_-_organization_and_policy.pptx
2019_gsa_poster_3_from_cna_study_as_of_11-8-19_-_individual_and_interpersonal.pptx
2019_gsa_poster_4_from_cna_study_as_of_11-8-19_-_ideal_training_program.pptx
content_and_adequacy_of_dementia_care_training_for_rds_-_as_of_9-16-20.pdf
final_were_bettertogether_9-22-20.pdf

Brain Injury

Dr. Douglas also works with the Alabama Head Injury Foundation to support brain injury survivors and their caregivers throughout the state.  
In 2020, she received a grant entitled: ‘Students Supporting Brain Injury Survivors and their Caregivers: A Community Engagement Project’ from the Council on Community-Based Partnerships at The University of Alabama.  Through this project, she and her students provide nutrition education and counseling to brain injury survivors and their caregivers at the UA Bright Ideas TBI Camp.  Each year at camp, UA faculty and students from multiple healthcare disciplines to provide services to at-risk brain injury survivors in West Alabama. 

In 2022, she received grant funding for a pilot randomized controlled trial called the HOME Study (Healthy Options Made Easy), where she is testing how to best provide Medical Nutrition Therapy to individuals with brain injury using telehealth. 

Learn more about the Bright Ideas TBI Camp at UA here!

View some of her research findings here:
a_focus_group_study_for_2021_fnce_poster_presentation_09-21-21.pdf
​jd_-_fnce_poster_-_nutrition_challenges_and_needed_resources.pdf