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Dr. B.A. Given is a Professor in the College of Nursing and Senior Research Scientist in the Institute for Managed Care at the College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, and a Research Scientist at the Walther Cancer Institute in Indianapolis, IN.
Dr. C.W. Given is a Professor at the College of Human Medicine, Department of Family Practice, Michigan State University, East Lansing, and a Research Scientist at the Walther Cancer Institute in Indianapolis, IN.
Ms. Kozachik is a Nurse Coordinator with Family Care Studies, Walther Cancer Institute, Michigan State University, East Lansing.
Changes in the health care system have resulted in a shift of cancer care from the in-patient arena to ambulatory and home settings. This shift has likewise translated into increased family involvement in the day-to-day care of the person with cancer. Cancer patients have multifaceted needs, including disease and treatment monitoring, symptom management, medication administration, emotional support, assistance with personal care, and assistance with instrument care. Family caregivers may be ill prepared to assume these tasks, requiring information on the disease and treatment, as well as instruction in technical and care skills. Moreover, caregiving must be balanced against already established roles and role responsibilities. In addition, family caregivers have their own emotional responses to the patients’ diagnosis and prognosis, and may require coaching and emotional support themselves.
The health care system can facilitate positive outcomes by embracing the family caregiver as a partner in the health care team, providing instruction and guidance to the caregiver as he/she assumes this role, and evaluating the home care situation. Research to date has only scratched the surface of testing interventions that meet the needs of the cancer caregiver.
A research agenda is proposed to more fully elucidate the cancer caregiver’s experience throughout the illness and treatment trajectory, and identify the means to effecting positive outcomes for the person with cancer, their family caregiver, and the health care system.
This article has been cited by other articles:
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  Y. Kim and R. Schulz Family Caregivers' Strains: Comparative Analysis of Cancer Caregiving With Dementia, Diabetes, and Frail Elderly Caregiving J Aging Health, August 1, 2008; 20(5): 483 - 503. [Abstract] [PDF]
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 F. Schmitt, H. Manninen, P. Santalahti, E. Savonlahti, S. Pyrhonen, G. Romer, and J. Piha Children of parents with cancer: a collaborative project between a child psychiatry clinic and an adult oncology clinic. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, July 1, 2007; 12(3): 421 - 436. [Abstract] [PDF]
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 R. Cohen, A. M Leis, D. Kuhl, C. Charbonneau, P. Ritvo, and F. D. Ashbury QOLLTI-F: measuring family carer quality of life Palliative Medicine, December 1, 2006; 20(8): 755 - 767. [Abstract] [PDF]
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N Fridriksdottir, V Sigurdardottir, and S Gunnarsdottir Important needs of families in acute and palliative care settings assessed with the Family Inventory of Needs Palliative Medicine, June 1, 2006; 20(4): 425 - 432. [Abstract] [PDF]
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 J. M. Stausmire Sexuality at the end of life American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, January 1, 2004; 21(1): 33 - 39. [Abstract] [PDF]
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 T. Ades, T. Gansler, and H. Eyre Communicating with Patients about Quality of Life Issues CA Cancer J Clin, July 1, 2001; 51(4): 211 - 212. [Full Text] [PDF]
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