Problem-solving education for family caregivers of cancer patients.

Abstract

Overviewf amily members and friends who care for cancer patients at home are becoming increasingly important in the provision of health care. They are responsible for managing care in the home, including monitoring the illness, carrying out prescribed treatments, informing health-care professionals when problems arise, and providing emotional and social support for the patient. With the increase in the number of people living with cancer, more and more family members are having to take on these responsibilities. In addition, as a result of changes in the health-care system represented by shorter hospitalizations and more reliance on outpatient care, tasks, which until recently have only been assigned to trained, supervised health-care personnel, are being shifted to family caregivers.Unfortunately, family caregivers who are assuming these responsibilities are often uninformed about what they should do, unskilled in carrying out medical duties, and emotionally unprepared as well. As a result, there is significant risk of compromising the quality of patient care and of causing significant caregiver burden and morbidity. Studies of spouses of seriously ill patients have reported eating disorders, sleep disturbances, anxiety, and depression because of the stresses of caregiving (Kristjanson &