TY - JOUR
T1 - Future provision of home end-of-life care
T2 - Family carers' willingness for caregiving and needs for support
AU - Chan, Wallace Chi Ho
N1 - Funding Information: Thanks to the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals (TWGHs) for funding this project. Special thanks to all colleagues of TWGHs who helped in the implementation of this study.
PY - 2021/10/9
Y1 - 2021/10/9
N2 - ObjectiveThis study aimed to examine family carers’ willingness, perceived difficulties and confidence in providing home end-of-life care to family members in future and their needs for support for doing so. Specific focus was on whether significant differences were found between carers of low and high levels of psychological distress.MethodFamily carers who had been providing care to family members living in the community were recruited via a local elderly agency in Hong Kong. A survey was conducted. Carers were asked to complete a questionnaire which included self-developed items, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Carers’ Support Need Assessment Tool.ResultsOf the 89 participants, 63.8% reported willingness to provide end-of-life care in future (increased to 78.5% if support needs were met), but most perceived it as difficult, and over half were not confident about doing so. The three greatest needs for support in end-of-life care are understanding the relative's illness, knowing what to expect in future, and knowing who to contact if concerned. Participants of the high psychological distress group experienced a significantly greater need for support in “dealing with your feelings and worries” and “looking after your own health.”Significance of ResultsCurrent family carers may not be ready for future provision of home end-of-life care. Meeting their support needs in providing end-of-life care is crucial to ensure the continuity of care provision. Psychologically distressed carers may often ignore self-care and may need helping professionals’ additional support.
AB - ObjectiveThis study aimed to examine family carers’ willingness, perceived difficulties and confidence in providing home end-of-life care to family members in future and their needs for support for doing so. Specific focus was on whether significant differences were found between carers of low and high levels of psychological distress.MethodFamily carers who had been providing care to family members living in the community were recruited via a local elderly agency in Hong Kong. A survey was conducted. Carers were asked to complete a questionnaire which included self-developed items, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Carers’ Support Need Assessment Tool.ResultsOf the 89 participants, 63.8% reported willingness to provide end-of-life care in future (increased to 78.5% if support needs were met), but most perceived it as difficult, and over half were not confident about doing so. The three greatest needs for support in end-of-life care are understanding the relative's illness, knowing what to expect in future, and knowing who to contact if concerned. Participants of the high psychological distress group experienced a significantly greater need for support in “dealing with your feelings and worries” and “looking after your own health.”Significance of ResultsCurrent family carers may not be ready for future provision of home end-of-life care. Meeting their support needs in providing end-of-life care is crucial to ensure the continuity of care provision. Psychologically distressed carers may often ignore self-care and may need helping professionals’ additional support.
KW - Carers' support needs
KW - Continuity of care provision
KW - End-of-life caregiving
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85097555628&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1017/S1478951520001273
DO - 10.1017/S1478951520001273
M3 - Article
C2 - 33295268
AN - SCOPUS:85097555628
SN - 1478-9515
VL - 19
SP - 580
EP - 586
JO - Palliative and Supportive Care
JF - Palliative and Supportive Care
IS - 5
ER -
