Helping family caregivers of critically ill patients make better decisions
Official title: A Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial of EMPOWER for Family Surrogates of Critically Ill Patients
Funded at Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ · NIH-11019746 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is all about helping family caregivers of critically ill patients in ICUs, especially those from Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities, by offering support to ease their emotional stress and help them make tough end-of-life decisions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2022 |
| Project end | January 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $773,616 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NR019831-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11019746 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are family caregivers of critically ill patients in ICUs, especially those from BIPOC communities.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not critically ill or do not have family caregivers involved in their decision-making may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on supporting family caregivers who are making difficult end-of-life decisions for critically ill patients in Intensive Care Units (ICUs). It aims to address the emotional distress and trauma that caregivers experience, particularly among Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). The intervention, called EMPOWER, uses cognitive-behavioral and acceptance-based techniques to enhance emotional resilience and reduce grief and trauma. By providing caregivers with effective psychological support, the research seeks to improve their decision-making process during these challenging times.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly improve the emotional well-being of family caregivers and lead to better end-of-life decisions for critically ill patients.
How similar studies have gone: Previous pilot studies have shown promising results with similar psychological interventions, indicating potential for success in this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Prigerson, Holly Gwen — Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
- Study coordinator: Prigerson, Holly Gwen
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.