Support for employed caregivers of Veterans
Official title: Caregiver SOS: An Intervention for Employed Caregivers
Funded at Philadelphia VA Medical Center · NIH-11457420 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project offers help to working family caregivers of Veterans to reduce stress and better balance jobs and caregiving.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Philadelphia VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2021 |
| Project end | September 30, 2024 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01HX002824-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11457420 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Unpaid, employed family members or friends who regularly provide care to Veterans—especially those caring for Veterans with PTSD, depression, anxiety, or TBI—are the ideal participants.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not employed caregivers, who do not care for Veterans, or whose needs are primarily medical rather than related to work–care balance are unlikely to benefit.
What this research studies
If you are an employed, unpaid caregiver for a Veteran, this program aims to help you manage stress and handle conflicts between work and caregiving. The team is creating and delivering supports tailored to caregivers of Veterans with issues such as PTSD, depression, anxiety, or traumatic brain injury. They will work with caregivers through the Philadelphia VA Medical Center to try to improve caregiver wellbeing, job stability, and the quality of care given to the Veteran. The researchers will follow caregiver wellbeing and work/financial outcomes and monitor any changes in care for the Veteran over time.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: It could reduce caregiver stress, help maintain employment and financial stability, and improve the care Veterans receive.
How similar studies have gone: Other caregiver-support programs have shown promise in reducing stress and improving outcomes, but few have been specifically tailored to employed caregivers of Veterans.
Where this research is happening
-
Philadelphia VA Medical Center
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Helstrom, Amy W — Philadelphia VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Helstrom, Amy W
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Caregiver SOS: Help for working family caregivers of Veterans
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This study looks at how family and friends help take care of people with advanced dementia living in assisted living facilities, especially during their final days, and it aims to understand how this support affects both the caregivers and the residents.
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.