Overview
I am a Research Health Scientist at Durham VA Health System’s Center of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (ADAPT) and Duke University faculty at Sanford School of Public Policy, the Medical School, and the Nursing School. I am also a Senior Fellow at the Duke Center for the Study of Aging & Human Development as well as Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy Core Faculty.
I have extensive experience in clinical medicine (licensed physician assistant in critical care and emergency medicine), health care administration, health professions education, hospice and palliative care quality improvement, and community-based research. Challenges and opportunities at the intersection of social care and health care inform my research agenda. My collaborations across disciplines at VA and Duke and with community organizations have afforded me deep insights into the lives and challenges of community members and family/friend care partners.
My research has been funded by Veterans Administration, NIH, Centers for Medicare/Medicaid Services, several foundations, and Duke University. Recent research includes 1) describing care partners’ social and health needs related to caring for older adults re-entering the community from prison; 2) designing and testing community health worker programs focused on older adults; 3) characterizing concerns care partners and people living with dementia have regarding the quality of care settings as well as emerging technologies; 4) systems approaches to homelessness among Veterans, and 5) defining and realigning training and employment for NC direct care workers serving in home- and community-based services.
Let's collaborate: nathan.boucher@duke.edu
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Recent Publications
Supporting Age-Friendly, Supported Housing for Aging and Physically Disabled Veterans.
Journal Article Journal of applied gerontology : the official journal of the Southern Gerontological Society · May 2026 Background and ObjectivesHomelessness among Veterans aged 55+ rose 150% from 2010-2023, reflecting a critical housing crisis. While Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) offers support, aging and disabled Veterans may ... Full text CiteOverhauling US Long-Term Services and Supports: Looking Toward Japan.
Journal Article Journal of applied gerontology : the official journal of the Southern Gerontological Society · April 2026 In the context of a rapidly growing aging population, the United States must address challenges with long term services and supports as that is what the acronym refers to. These challenges include affordability and access to home- and-community-based servi ... Full text CiteCharacterizing Intervention Components and Complexity of Nonpharmacologic Healthcare Interventions to Manage Distress Behaviors in Older Adults.
Journal Article J Appl Gerontol · January 2026 Distress behaviors are common in residential care settings and contribute to staff burnout and poor quality of life for older adults. While nonpharmacologic interventions reduce distress behaviors, implementation in routine care remains challenging. Our st ... Full text Link to item CiteRecent Grants
Duke/UNC ADAR Program
Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2024 - 2029Improving the lives of persons living with dementia and their families through person-centered measurement of home time
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institute on Aging · 2021 - 2027WECARE: Workforce Engagement with Care workers to Assist, Recognize, and Educate
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill · 2022 - 2027View All Grants