Evaluating non-pharmacological approaches to nursing home dementia care: A protocol

•Leveraging an engaged Advisory Committee, we will provide evidence for implementation research methods within a US nursing homes (NH) context.•This study will be the first-ever evaluation of team- and problem-based approaches to NHs ADRD care across multiple and geographic regions.•Incorporating rich clinical data this study will examine residents’ outcomes (e.g., clinical symptoms, signs of deterioration, well-being).•Mixed methods will be used to examine how to best equip a diverse NH staff in non-pharmacological approaches to ADRD care.•Through NH staff and leadership perspectives, we will explore how the training was applied during the COVID-19 pandemic.•Findings can inform future policies and regulations that better equip NHs to meet the needs of the ADRD population due to emergent events