July 22, 2009 — Karen Rose, assistant professor of nursing at the University of Virginia School of Nursing, and Ishan Williams, research assistant professor, were recently named the 2009-10 Alzheimer's and Related Diseases Research Award Fund recipients for their research, "Family Quality of Life in Dementia."

Since a diagnosis of dementia has implications for the overall functioning and wellbeing of the family involved, a reliable and valid instrument to assess the impact of services and resources provided, or not provided, on family quality of life is needed, the researchers said.

Their study will develop a pilot instrument focusing on families that have a dementia patient and a child with a disability, to assess family quality of life. It will gather information by conducting group interviews with persons who have mild- to moderate-stage dementia and their family members to gain insights from their unique perspectives regarding family quality of life.

The award is funded by the Virginia General Assembly and administered through the Virginia Center on Aging at Virginia Commonwealth University.