Supporting Home Palliative Care for Heart Failure Patients and Their Families in Rural Appalachia

Sustaining Home Palliative Care for Patients with Heart Failure (HF) and Their Family Caregivers in Rural Appalachia: A Mixed Methods Randomized Clinical Trial (RCT)

NIH-funded research West Virginia University · NIH-11195149

This project is testing a new way to provide comforting care at home for older adults with heart failure and their family caregivers in rural Appalachian communities.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionWest Virginia University NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Morgantown, United States)
Project IDNIH-11195149 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

Heart failure is a serious condition, especially for older adults in rural Appalachia, where access to care can be limited. This project brings together a special care package that includes nurse-led support for heart failure care at home, help from visiting neighbors for daily needs, and comforting palliative care provided by faith-based nurses. Our goal is to make sure patients and their families feel supported and prepared during the later stages of heart failure, right in their own homes.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are older adults (65 years or older) with heart failure and their family caregivers living in rural Appalachian areas, particularly in West Virginia.

Not a fit: Patients who do not have heart failure, are under 65 years old, or do not reside in rural Appalachian regions would not be eligible for this specific program.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could improve the quality of life for heart failure patients and their family caregivers by providing better access to supportive care and reducing the burden of home care.

How similar studies have performed: Preliminary studies have already verified the effectiveness of the individual components of this care package, suggesting a strong foundation for this combined approach.

Where this research is happening

Morgantown, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.