On Apr. 21, 2020, researchers at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Providence VA Medical Center began studying the effect of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on Veterans living in VA Community Living Centers (CLCs).

The National Institute on Aging awarded a $184,375 grant this month to the VA Center for Innovation in Long Term Services and Supports (LTSS-COIN). Researchers will focus on the potential effects of COVID-19 on nursing home patients with cognitive decline resulting primarily from dementia.

The grant will allow researchers to examine risk factors for COVID-19 in these Veterans, outcomes of intensive care use and how the virus spreads through a CLC – knowledge VA will then use to better protect this group of patients.