Family members who are caring for a dying loved one are often mentally and behaviourally prepared for the death but require support to ensure they are emotionally prepared, new Â鶹ֱ²¥ research shows.<\/p>\n
The paper, published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management<\/em>, was the first study to focus solely on the experiences of family carers when preparing for a relative\u2019s death.<\/p>\n Lead author Associate Professor Lauren Breen, from the School of Psychology at Â鶹ֱ²¥, said the research offered important information for palliative care services that might assume that family carers are emotionally prepared for their loved one\u2019s death given the length of their illness.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is a tendency to assume that family caregivers are prepared for the death of the person they have been caring for, but this research shows that is not always the case,\u201d Associate Professor Breen said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile family carers might be mentally prepared in the sense that they are aware of their loved one\u2019s symptoms and prognosis and behaviourally prepared because they have planned the finances, Wills or funeral, many do not feel prepared emotionally for life after their loved one has died. Carers tend to be so busy with the tasks of caring that focussing on their own preparations often takes a backseat.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is an important aspect in a family carer\u2019s preparation for their loved one\u2019s death because a failure to address all these issues can be linked to post-death complicated grief, depression and anxiety.\u201d<\/p>\n Associate Professor Breen said the research showed family carers would benefit from additional support to ensure they are emotionally prepared for their loved one\u2019s death.<\/p>\n \u201cPalliative care services should not assume that all family caregivers are well-prepared for the death, even if they have been caring for their loved one for a considerable amount of time,\u201d Associate Professor Breen said.<\/p>\n \u201cFamily carers would likely benefit from being prepared for their loved one\u2019s death, and this study shows we really should talk more about these issues in the community.\u201d<\/p>\n As part of this study, 16 family carers, aged 45 to 77 years, were interviewed about their experiences in caring for a family member receiving palliative care. The majority of patients had a cancer diagnosis.<\/p>\n