Heart Failure Resilience Intervention for Caregivers
United States33 participantsStarted 2022-04-01
Plain-language summary
Heart failure (HF) patients with supportive caregivers have better physical health, emotional health, and quality of life. But caregivers have an increased risk of caregivers' own worsening health and often feel a sense of burden related to caregiving. However, caregivers receive very little support to balance caring for the patient with caring for themselves. Therefore, this research will provide a program for caregivers of advanced heart failure patients to build on the caregiver's strengths, sense of purpose, and set goals for healthy lifestyle changes. The investigators believe that caregivers who receive the program will have better quality of life, less sense of burden, and a healthier lifestyle.
Who can participate
Age range
50 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion criteria
. the patient was hospitalized within 6 months
. the caregiver agrees to work on goals that increase preventive health behaviors and/or decrease burden
. caregivers live with the patient or visit them to provide care more than 3 times per week
. the caregiver is 50 years or older and e) the caregiver is the spouse/partner or child of the patient.
Exclusion criteria
. themselves have a terminal diagnosis
. or are cognitively impaired based on Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) screening will be excluded as response to the intervention may vary in these groups.
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
Goal Attainment of Preventive Health Behaviors as Measured by the Goal Attainment Scale
Timeframe: Baseline, 12 and 24 weeks
2
Caregiver Burden as Assessed by the Oberst Caregiving Burden Scale
Timeframe: Baseline, 12 and 24 weeks
3
Quality of Life as Assessed by the Neurological Quality of Life(Neuro-QOL)