Personal growth and related factors among family primary caregivers after bereavement of a terminally ill cancer patient at home
10.2512/jspm.9.140
- VernacularTitle:在宅終末期がん患者家族介護者の死別後の成長感と看取りに関する体験との関連
- Author:
Tomomi Sano
;
Etsuko Kusajima
;
Yuki Shirai
;
Mariko Setoyama
;
Terue Tamai
;
Kayo Hirooka
;
Takahiro Sato
;
Mitsunori Miyashita
;
Masako Kawa
;
Takeshi Okabe
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
family caregiver;
terminally ill cancer patient;
home palliative care;
care experience;
personal growth after bereavement
- From:Palliative Care Research
2014;9(3):140-150
- CountryJapan
- Language:Japanese
-
Abstract:
Purpose: To identify the nature of personal growth of family primary caregivers after bereavement and to explore the association between such growth and the experience of caring for a terminally ill cancer patient at home. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire survey was mailed to 112 bereaved family primary caregivers who, with assistance from a palliative care service, had cared for a terminally ill cancer patient at home. The main outcomes were measured using the After Bereavement Growth Inventory, previously developed. Results: Responses from 73 questionnaires were analyzed (effective response rate, 66%). The post-bereavement growth score was significantly higher among the study group than among the general population who had experienced bereavement due to illness-related death. Multiple regression analysis revealed that post-bereavement growth was more likely to occur among those family members who, "at the time they chose to provide home palliative care, intended to care for a patient at home until the time of death" and when "the patient desired home palliative care", those who "felt a deepening of their bond with the patient", and those who "felt the death was peaceful". Conclusion: Our findings suggest that for primary family caregiver's to experience personal growth after bereavement, medical professionals should support patients' preference of place at the end of life and caregivers' preparation for the expected home death, respect the family's bond with the patient, and through appropriate symptom management in home palliative care to maintain the patient's sense of peacefulness until the end of life.
