The Impact of Additional Support Services on Caregivers of Hospice Patients and Hospice Social Workers

• Published in: Omega: Journal of Death and Dying Vol. 67; no. 1-2; pp. 53 - 61
• Main Authors: Empeño, Jessica, Raming, Natasha T. J., Irwin, Scott A., Nelesen, Richard A., Lloyd, Linda S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01-01-2013; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Aged; Caregiver Burden; Caregivers; Caregivers - psychology; Carers; Chronically; Client Satisfaction; Counseling - methods; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Guilt; Health Problems; Health Status; Hospice care; Hospices; Humans; Interpersonal Relations; Job satisfaction; Male; Middle Aged; Occupational stress; Palliative care; Palliative Care - organization & administration; Palliative Care - psychology; Patients; Program Evaluation; Quality of Life; Quality of Life - psychology; Social Support; Social Workers; Stress, Psychological - prevention & control; Support services
• ISSN: 0030-2228; 1541-3764
• DOI: 10.2190/OM.67.1-2.f

Family caregivers often suffer higher levels of physical and emotional distress when caring for a chronically or terminally ill family member. Providing this kind of care to a loved one at the end of life contributes to increased stress, health problems, and a decreased quality of life. The Hospice Caregiver Support Project provided support services to caregivers identified by the hospice social worker as needing this support and/or assistance. Results from the project show that offering additional services relieved caregiver stress by allowing the caregiver time away from their caregiving role and reducing feelings of guilt and worry, and increased hospice social worker satisfaction with their ability to respond to the needs of hospice patients and caregivers.