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Using Community Health Workers to Support Rural Care Partners of Seriously Ill Older Veterans

Who can join

As published by the study on ClinicalTrials.gov. "Not stated" means the study hasn't said — ask the study team.

Age
18 Years and older
Sex
All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Accepted
Compensation
Not stated

Other requirements are listed under Eligibility below. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.

What to expect

No one can promise a trial will help you personally — that is what the research is trying to find out.

What participation involves

  • Time periods mentioned: 27 months
  • Procedures mentioned: Interviews

Only what the study's summary and detailed description on ClinicalTrials.gov say. Time periods may describe the whole study or a part of it — ask the study team what applies to you.

Show the study's own words
  • "The investigators will apply a 6-month intervention in a randomized control trial over 27 months."
  • "Aim 2: Following intervention, the investigators explore Veterans' and care partners' experience of CHWs as a mode of VA support using semi-structured interviews."
Compensation
Not stated
  • Study-related exams and procedures are typically provided at no cost. This is how many trials work in general — confirm the details for this study with the study team.
  • Participants are monitored closely by the research team throughout the study.
  • Some participants may receive access to an investigational treatment, which is still being studied.
  • Your participation helps researchers learn whether this approach could help future patients.

About this study

In plain language

This study tests whether extra support from a trained community health worker helps care partners of seriously ill older Veterans in rural areas. The worker connects care partners with local and VA resources to ease their workload. The study aims to improve care partners’ and Veterans’ well-being and satisfaction with VA care.

The investigators aim to support care partner's well-being and satisfaction with VA care and decrease their work burden by offering extra support from a trained Community Health Worker who will help connect the care partner to helpful resources in their communities and in the VA. The investigators also hope to help Veterans well-being and satisfaction with VA care by supporting their care partner more sufficiently allowing the care partner to focus on caregiving tasks.

Compensation is read from the study's own description and may be missing — always confirm with the study team.

Eligibility

Who can join

  • Care partners must be a relative, friend, or partner who regularly helps the Veteran with care or arranging care. The listed age is 18.
  • Care partners must live in a rural area, based on the study’s rural-area codes.
  • Care partners must be enrolled in the VA Caregiver Support Program’s Program of General Caregiver Support Services.
  • Care partners must be able to speak English by phone. They may live with the Veteran or elsewhere.
  • Veterans must live in a rural area and receive care at the Durham, Asheville, or Richmond VA Health Systems, such as having at least 2 clinic visits in the past year and a main care provider.
  • Veterans must have heart failure, COPD (a long-term lung disease), cancer, dementia (a disease affecting memory and thinking), or end-stage kidney disease (kidney failure).
  • Veterans must need help with at least one daily task, such as walking, eating, bathing, dressing, taking medicine, shopping, or managing money.
  • Veterans must be age 50 or older and able to speak English by phone for study check-ins.

Who can't join

  • Veterans cannot join if their record has a flag or social worker’s note about suspected abuse by a caregiver.
  • Veterans cannot join if they cannot speak English by phone for study check-ins.

Simplified for readability. The official criteria below are what the study team uses.

Official eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria: Care Partner Inclusion Criteria * A relative, friend, or partner (18 years of age) with whom Veteran patient has a personal relationship who assists Veteran regularly with care and/or care coordination as defined under "Veterans" below * Can live with or separately from the Veteran; able to communicate in English by phone Veteran Inclusion Criteria Receiving VA care at HSA 2.1 (North Carolina and Virginia) (at least 2 encounters in past year, has a PACT/primary care provider) * Residing in a rural area based on RUCA Rural Urban Commuting Codes * Diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, cancer, dementia, or End-Stage Renal Disease. * Requires assistance with at least one activities of daily living (ADLs) or instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) * 65 years old or older and able to communicate in English by phone (for assessments) Exclusion Criteria: Care partner Exclusion Criteria -Enrolled in Caregiver Support Program (CSP) Veteran Exclusion Criteria * Flag or social work note indicating suspected Caregiver abuse * Unable to communicate in English by phone for assessments

Study sites (1)

NC