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| Learning Objective #2: n/a |
The family and dying person are the unit of care in hospice. An expected outcome is effective grieving. Empirical evidence that hospice care enables family members to work through their bereavement with a minimum of health consequences is needed. The objective of this pilot study was to identify health outcomes of bereaved family caregivers of hospice patients.
A descriptive, correlational, cross sectional design was used.
The sample consisted of 34 English speaking, bereaved family caregivers of hospice patients 65 years or older admitted to the home care program of a hospice agency in north Texas. 34 participants were grouped as 0-6, 7-12, and 13 plus months of bereavement. Majority was Causcasian females with some college education serving as the family caregiver while their husbands were hospice patients.
Methods: The hospice agency and university IRB approved the study. Survey instruments: the SF-36, Quality of Life Scale, and the Texas Revised Inventory of Grief were mailed to the homes of the participants.
Findings: There were no differences in the quality of life and the time of bereavement. The vitality sub-scale of the SF-36 for the total sample, 0-6 month group, and the 7-12 month group was significantly correlated with quality of life. Sub-scale correlations significant for the total sample and quality of life were different from those that were correlated by time of bereavement and quality of life.
Conclusions: The findings suggest that some health outcomes of bereaved family caregivers change with time. More studies using larger samples, a longitudinal design, and a non-hospice comparative group are needed.
Implications: Hospice providers need to be aware of the changing needs and health outcomes of bereaved family caregivers over time. Ongoing assessment and individualized interventions are necessary for effective grieving. Future research will enable hospice staff to develop effective interventions to assist family caregivers.
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