My program of research is guided by two central questions. 

• How can we support the transition to end-of-life care for seriously ill individuals and their family caregivers? 

My doctoral dissertation examines hospice transition in the context of dementia and family caregiving. I study the lived experiences of family caregivers as they enroll a loved one with dementia in hospice, as well as the contextual factors that impact hospice transitions. To address my research questions, I use both qualitative and computational methods, incorporating data sources such as interviews and clinical notes from the EHR. One example of my work is my qualitative synthesis identifying caregiver-reported barriers and facilitators to hospice enrollment for people living with dementia, which was published in Palliative Medicine. 

I also strive to translate caregiver interventions into hospice settings. I explored the optimal timing for introducing problem-solving interventions to hospice caregivers in a multi-method study published in the Gerontologist. The quantitative arm of this study was presented at the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) 2024 annual meeting, where I received the ESPO Poster award. 

• How can AI/advanced technology support palliative and gerontology care? 

In the emerging era of AI, I explore how advanced technological tools may impact the palliative care arena. My work focuses on end user/stakeholder acceptability, trust in the technology, and the ethical implications of using AI in palliative and end-of-life contexts. My scientific inquiry began with a philosophical critique published in Nursing Ethics, where I analyzed the ethical dimensions of utilizing AI in palliative care. 

I am currently conducting a qualitative descriptive study on how hospice professionals and caregivers of hospice patients with dementia view applying AI in end-of-life dementia care. This study is supported by a grant from the Office of Nursing Research at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing.