Preparing for family caregiving in specialized palliative home care: an ongoing process
- Författare
- Holm M, Henriksson A, Carlander I, Wengström Y, Öhlen J.
- Titel
- Preparing for family caregiving in specialized palliative home care: an ongoing process
- Utgivningsår
- 2015
- Tidskrift
- Palliat Support Care
- Volym
- 13
- Häfte
- 3
- Sidor
- 767-75
- Sammanfattning
OBJECTIVE: Family caregivers have been given increasing importance in palliative
home care and face a great responsibility as caregivers for patients suffering
from incurable illness. Preparedness for caregiving has been found to moderate
negative effects and promote well-being in family caregivers. The aim of our
study was to explore family caregivers' own experiences of preparing for
caregiving in specialized palliative home care.
METHOD: An interpretive descriptive design was chosen. A strategic sampling
method was applied with a focus on participants who rated their preparedness as
high and low using a structured instrument. Qualitative interviews were completed
with 12 family caregivers. They were analyzed using a constant-comparative
technique.
RESULTS: Family caregivers described their experience of preparing for caregiving
as an ongoing process, rather than something done in advance. The process was
illustrated through three subprocesses: "awaring" (realizing the seriousness of
the situation), "adjusting" (managing a challenging situation), and
"anticipating" (planning for the inevitable loss).
SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: Knowledge about the process of preparedness for
caregiving and its subprocesses could be valuable to healthcare professionals,
given the positive effects shown by preparedness in this context. Being able to
recognize the different subprocesses of preparedness for caregiving could provide
healthcare professionals with opportunities to support family caregivers in
managing them. Preparedness for caregiving should be seen as a process to be
supported and promoted continuously in palliative home care, not just at
enrollment.