New Trial Aims to Boost Independence for Older Adults with Heart Failure and Frailty Through Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment

New Trial Aims to Boost Independence for Older Adults with Heart Failure and Frailty Through Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment

(IN BRIEF) The £2.3 million CHART trial, set to launch in February 2025, will test the impact of Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) in helping older adults with heart failure and frailty maintain or improve their daily activities. The trial aims to address the challenges of managing multiple long-term health conditions, offering a collaborative care approach involving the patient, family, carers, and healthcare professionals. Led by a team from the Universities of Exeter, Leeds, and Liverpool, the trial is supported by several NHS trusts and the NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme. The goal is to evaluate whether adding CGA to standard care improves independence and quality of life for these vulnerable individuals.

(PRESS RELEASE) LIVERPOOL, 13-Feb-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — A new care initiative, led by a team of experts, is set to trial an innovative approach to support older individuals living with both heart failure and frailty, aiming to improve their independence. The £2.3 million CHART trial, launching in February 2025, will recruit participants from regions across England, including the North West, South West, and Yorkshire & Humber.

In a healthcare system traditionally designed to tackle individual health issues, many older adults face the challenge of managing multiple conditions simultaneously. The CHART trial seeks to test the effectiveness of Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) in addressing this complex issue. CGA involves a collaborative approach, engaging older individuals, their families, carers, and healthcare professionals, to identify and manage multiple health and daily living challenges while preventing the emergence of new problems. The care plan, tailored to the individual’s needs, is reviewed and adapted over time to ensure ongoing support and flexibility.

The trial will assess whether adding CGA to routine care helps older individuals with heart failure and frailty maintain or improve their ability to perform everyday activities, compared to those who receive only standard care.

Lauren Walker, Professor of Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics and Internal Medicine, is working alongside colleagues from the University of Exeter and the University of Leeds to lead the trial. Professor Walker explained, “Frailty and heart failure frequently occur together, alongside other long-term health conditions that develop as people age. Unfortunately, many healthcare services are not equipped to manage these overlapping issues simultaneously. In Liverpool, we’ve developed a regional multi-specialist, multidisciplinary service focused on providing integrated, patient-centered care for individuals with heart failure and multiple conditions. The CHART trial offers a unique opportunity to explore how CGA can help older adults with both frailty and heart failure maintain their independence and enhance their quality of life. By adopting a holistic and proactive approach, we hope to revolutionize care for this vulnerable group and ensure their needs are addressed more effectively.”

The trial is a collaborative effort between the Universities of Exeter, Leeds, and Liverpool, alongside Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, and the NIHR Applied Research Collaborations South West Peninsula (PenARC) and Yorkshire & Humber (YHARC). It is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme.

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Sarah Stamper
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Jennifer Morgan
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Alison Cornmell
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SOURCE: University of Liverpool