SOCIOLOGY FACULTY MEMBERS RECEIVE GRANT

Two faculty members from Old Dominion University's Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice have received a grant from the Alzheimer's and Related Diseases Research Award Fund (ARDRAF) from the Virginia Center on Aging.

Brian K. Payne and Randy R. Gainey received the grant for their study, "The Social Context of Providing Care to Alzheimer's Patients: Specifying Ineractions Between Social Disorganization, Service Utilization, Burden and Mistreatment."

The study examines caregiving dynamics in Alzheimer's situations with attention given to the role of the urban neighborhood. Using protective services data, the study examines whether differences exist at the neighborhood level regarding service distributions and utilization, the exprience of burden and the existence of maltreatment. It is expected the disadvantaged neighborhoods will utilize fewer services, experience more burden and be the source of more mistreatment than their more advantaged neighbors.

Partial support for the project was provided by a contribution to the ARDRAF from the Alzheimer's Association's Greater Richmond Chapter.