💬In plain words
What the trial is, and whether it could suit you
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if it is possible to deliver a palliative care intervention called ALIGN (Assessing and Listening to Individual Goals and Needs) to hospitalized older adults with advanced cancer who are discharged to a skilled nursing facility and their caregivers. The main questions it aims to answer are:
* Can the investigator successfully deliver the ALIGN intervention in different skilled community nursing facilities?
* Can the investigator successfully collect information from participants throughout the study?
* How can the investigator best prepare caregivers to make medical decisions for loved ones that become unable to do so themselves?
Researchers will compare ALIGN to care as it is usually delivered.
Participants will:
* Visit virtually with an ALIGN palliative care social worker every 1-2 weeks during their skilled nursing facility stay and up
Sign in to get the eligibility rules as simple questions to take to your doctor.
📋 Eligibility rules (as published)
Patients
Inclusion Criteria:
1. Adults between 18-98 years
2. Stage I-IV solid tumors
3. Discharging from an acute care hospital to a SNF in Colorado
4. English speaking
5. Receiving or establishing care at the University of Colorado Cancer Center
6. If a patient lacks capacity, a legal surrogate decision-maker will be approached to provide proxy consent.
7. Must have access to the technology needed to complete consenting visit and subsequent intervention visits. This includes internet access through a computer, tablet, or smartphone OR cellular service with adequate allowance of cellular minutes to allow virtual visits.
8. Must have an email address or caregiver with an email address to facilitate communication during the trial
Exclusion Criteria:
1. Discharging with hospice care
2. Age less than 18
3. Lacking capacity without a legal surrogate decision maker or proxy.
4. Limited English proficiency
5. Hospitalized for a planned admission or procedure
6. Have any pschological or physical symptom, medication or other relevant finding prior to randomization, based on the clinical judgement of the PI or relevant clinical study staff that would make a participant unsuitable for the study
Caregivers
Inclusion Criteria:
1. Patient-selected
2. Age ≥ 18
3. English speaking
4. Able to complete baseline measures.
Exclusion Criteria:
1. Discharging with hospice care
2. Age ≤ 18
3. Caregivers with limited English proficiency will be excluded as ALIGN intervention content and documents have only been validated in an English-speaking population.
4. Have any pschological or physical symptom, medication or other relevant finding prior to randomization, based on the clinical judgement of the PI or relevant clinical study staff that would make a participant unsuitable for the study
SNF Staff
Inclusion Criteria:
1\. Working at a SNF that cared for a patient who received the ALIGN intervention
Exclusion Criteria:
1\. Not employed by a community SNF where patients were discharged to during the pilot trial
PCSW
Inclusion Criteria:
1\. PCSWs who conducted the ALIGN intervention and consent to an interview
💊
What it tests
- Assessing and Listening to Individual Goals and Needs (ALIGN)
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Aurora, United States
🤝 Taking part is your choice, and you can leave at any time. Only the trial team can confirm you are eligible — always decide together with your own doctor.
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