Rachel Adler, ScD, RD

Rachel Adler, ScD, RD, is a research scientist at the Center for Surgery and Public Health at Brigham and Women's Hospital, where her work focuses on understanding factors related to decision-making about surgery in the context of dementia. As part of her Alzheimer’s Association Research Fellowship (2023-2024), she specifically explored the health, functional, and emotional considerations that impact surgical decision-making among people living with dementia and their caregivers. She has advanced training in integrating quantitative and qualitative research strands in mixed methods research, allowing her to conduct well-rounded research to identify outcomes and describe considerations unique to patients with dementia and their caregivers. Dr. Adler plans to expand her research program to develop, implement, and test interventions to support healthcare decision-making for people living with dementia, their caregivers, and their providers. Ultimately, this research will provide the basis for further interventions designed to improve experiences and outcomes for people living with dementia and their caregivers.