Improving communication for older adults with serious injuries
Official title: A Randomized Clinical Trial of Scenario Planning for Older Adults with Serious Injury
Funded at University of Wisconsin-Madison · NIH-10886119 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is all about helping older adults with serious injuries or illnesses talk about their care options and what to expect, using a new tool that helps them and their families understand different possible outcomes, so they can make choices that fit their wishes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $866,426 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG078242-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-10886119 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are older adults who have experienced serious injuries and their surrogate decision-makers.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not seriously injured or do not have life-limiting illnesses may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on enhancing communication for older adults facing serious injuries and life-limiting illnesses. It aims to develop and test a novel communication tool called Best Case/Worst Case-ICU, which uses scenario planning to help patients and their families understand potential care trajectories and outcomes. By providing clearer information about treatment options and prognosis, the study seeks to align medical care with patients' goals and preferences, ultimately improving decision-making in critical care settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to better alignment of medical care with patient goals, reducing unnecessary interventions and improving quality of life for older adults.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that improved communication tools can enhance decision-making and patient satisfaction in critical care settings, suggesting a promising approach in this study.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schwarze, Margaret — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Schwarze, Margaret
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
BRAVE Innovation Center for Viral Resistance in Chickens
A center at UW–Madison aims to create chickens genetically resistant to avian viruses like H5N1 by identifying host genes involved in virus replication using genome-wide CRISPR screening.
-
Center to Fight Vector-Borne Diseases in the Midwest
A Midwest program brings researchers, public health teams, and vector-control groups together to prevent diseases spread by ticks and mosquitoes.
-
Globally useful predictor for cervical cancer treatment response
This project aims to develop a simple predictive signature to personalize treatment for locally advanced cervical cancer using easy tests and imaging.
-
Neutrophil development with stem cells to understand their behavior
Researchers are studying how neutrophils, a type of immune cell, develop from stem cells to better understand why they can help or harm in infections and inflammatory diseases.
-
WREN: Expanding Research Capacity in Rural Primary Care Clinics
A nationwide network in Wisconsin will strengthen rural primary care clinics to participate in real-world research and bring more clinical trials to communities.
-
Targeting early oral GVHD to improve mouth health after stem cell transplant
A study at UW–Madison will explore why some transplant patients develop painful oral GVHD and test ideas to prevent and lessen mouth-related problems.
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.